US death row inmate Christa Pike awake and speaking after failed execution

Christa Pike, sentenced to death for murdering Colleen Slemmer in 1995, has regained consciousness and can speak, her lawyers say. She survived two lethal-injection attempts last week in Tennessee.

Pike spent days unconscious in hospital while medical staff treated her after the injections. Her lawyers describe her progress as unusual and say they expect recovery to take a long time, though her outlook is not yet known.

An anaesthesiologist advising Pike’s defence says key details remain unclear, including how much of the drug entered her bloodstream. He has warned that serious injury is possible and that recovery from lethal injection is unlikely.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has halted executions in the state for the rest of the year. The state’s prisons chief has also said he intends to resign.

Pike’s lawyers are due in court in Nashville on Wednesday and plan to speak to reporters outside. The court appearance comes as questions remain about her condition and the failed execution.