Tennessee halts executions after Christa Pike attempt

Execution attempt ends without Pike’s death

Christa Pike remained alive after Tennessee tried to execute her by lethal injection Wednesday night. Correctional staff administered two doses of pentobarbital, but Pike still had a heartbeat and had not lost consciousness when her attorneys filed an emergency motion seeking to stop the procedure.

Media witnesses were directed to leave at 8:53 p.m., nearly an hour after the execution began. Pike’s attorneys said Thursday that she had been taken to a hospital for lifesaving treatment and that her prognosis was unknown. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti also stated in a supplemental court filing that Pike was receiving medical care at a hospital.

The Supreme Court had ruled earlier Wednesday that the execution could proceed. Pike, convicted of a 1995 murder, would have been Tennessee’s first woman executed in more than 200 years and the first since at least 1820.

Lee orders outside review

Gov. Bill Lee canceled Tennessee’s remaining execution scheduled for this year and ordered a comprehensive third-party review to determine what happened. Lee said carrying out a lawful sentence is one of the state’s most serious duties and must be legal, constitutional and effective.

The Tennessee Department of Correction said staff followed every step of the execution protocol approved by the Attorney General’s Office. The department also said the protocol did not permit any additional procedures after the two doses had been administered.

The review will examine the failed execution attempt as Tennessee considers how to handle its execution process. Pike’s medical condition and any further court proceedings will also shape the next steps in her case.