Christa Pike, the woman who survived a lethal injection execution attempt in Tennessee Wednesday night, is still alive Thursday afternoon, her lawyers said in a news conference.Nearly 24 hours after the woman was set to be put to death for a murder she committed when she was 18, Pike’s lawyers, Randy Spivey and Stephen Ferrell, spoke to reporters about the incident.
“I’m haunted by last night,” Spivey — who was there during the execution attempt — said Thursday.Pike’s prognosis and current health status are not clear, Spivey said, noting that she is alive, but in critical condition and receiving “lifesaving medical care.” Neither lawyer has seen her in the hospital.
At least seven needles were used to try to administer the lethal injection, Pike's lawyer said, noting that at least one of the needles looked bent when it was pulled from her arm.Tennessee Dept.
of Correction via APLifesaving care was not administered in the execution chamber when things went wrong Wednesday night, Spivey said, but he said that since curtains were drawn, he cannot be sure that was the case.Medical care was administered in an ambulance that was called at 8:50 p.m.
“Last night was not just inefficient; it was cruel and it was torturous,” Spivey said.At least seven needles were used to administer the lethal injection into Pike’s left arm over the course of an hour, Spivey said, noting that at least one of the needles looked bent when it was pulled from Pike’s arm.Meanwhile, Pike was “continuing to show signs of life” after at least two full doses of the lethal drug — pentobarbital, Spivey said.
He noted that the media could hear her “breathe and choke and struggle while the state worked in secrecy.” Five minutes after the second dose, “it was clear that Miss Pike was still breathing,” Spivey said.00:57Christa Pike hospitalized after surviving lethal injections00:0000:00Spivey described venous issues that Pike has had throughout her life, notin...