A Medically Unprecedented Event
A female death row inmate miraculously survived a botched execution attempt. Christa Pike regained consciousness after receiving two lethal execution drug doses. Her defense attorneys call her sudden recovery completely and medically unprecedented. Tennessee officials placed her on a ventilator immediately after the failed procedure. Authorities now investigate exactly what went wrong inside the state death chamber. Medical experts suggest several possibilities that explain her highly unusual survival. The executioners may have botched the placement of the intravenous lines completely. They used a massive 5-gram dose of pentobarbital for the execution attempt. This potent barbiturate should easily stop a human heart from beating. A medical expert says her waking up indicates very little drug entered her system. The IV might have slipped, or her fragile veins could have burst. The drug likely seeped into surrounding tissue instead of her bloodstream.
Questioning The Drug Supply
Pike suffers from a lifelong blood disorder that complicates intravenous injections. Another major problem involves the actual quality of the lethal drugs used. Many major pharmaceutical companies absolutely refuse to supply drugs for capital punishment. States frequently turn to loosely regulated compounding pharmacies for custom drug mixtures. Tennessee keeps its specific drug supplier shrouded in complete legal secrecy. This makes tracking the handling and preparation of the drugs incredibly difficult. Pike’s attorneys demand a court order to preserve all physical evidence immediately. Outgoing Tennessee Governor Bill Lee paused all state executions pending a review.
Facing A Long Recovery
Doctors at the hospital worked quickly to flush the pentobarbital from her body. Pike suffered severe chemical burns and blisters on both of her arms. Her lawyers state she currently battles pneumonia and a dangerous blood clot. She cannot move her hands or swallow food properly at this time. Follow the latest breaking news and complex criminal justice investigations. Get the whole truth and more on The WAU.
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