Christa Pike on ventilator after surviving Tennessee execution attempt, lawyer says | CBC News
Christa Pike, 50, remains unconscious and in critical condition after Tennessee tried to execute her on Wednesday, her attorneys said Friday. She is intubated and on a ventilator.
The lawyers said Pike suffered serious injuries to both arms. The state administered two doses of pentobarbital but did not kill her.
In a court filing, her attorneys said execution staff did not realize the intravenous lines were misplaced or that veins had ruptured, affecting how the drug entered her body.
Pike’s legal team had warned state officials and courts about problems obtaining intravenous access, which they say contributed to the failed procedure.
The incident was Tennessee’s second botched execution this year. Governor Lee has stopped executions for the rest of 2026 and ordered an independent review; the article does not say when its findings will be released.
Key points
- Pike is unconscious, on a ventilator and in critical condition, according to her attorneys.
- Her lawyers say misplaced IV lines and damaged veins affected the drug’s delivery.
- Governor Lee suspended Tennessee executions through 2026 and ordered an independent review.