Christa Pike remained unconscious and on a ventilator in a Tennessee hospital on Sunday, four days after a failed execution attempt. Stephen Ferrell, an assistant federal defender and one of Pike's lawyers, stated on CNN’s "State of the Union" that he is not aware of Pike regaining consciousness since the procedure on Wednesday night.
Pike, 50, was sentenced to death in 1995 for the murder of classmate Colleen Slemmer. Pike was 18 at the time of the killing, making her one of the youngest women ever sent to death row. Little information has been released regarding her current medical condition as she remains hospitalized under guard.
During the execution attempt on Wednesday, Tennessee prison officials administered two doses of pentobarbital, a barbiturate used in lethal injections. While the drugs did not result in death, Pike's lawyers reported that her arms were burned and blistered by the substances. Doctors are currently working to clear the pentobarbital from her system.
Ferrell noted that Pike’s medical prognosis may not be known for several days. He also stated that Pike had previously granted medical power of attorney to an individual who is currently protecting her privacy. Consequently, Ferrell said he is uncertain what information the hospital has shared with that representative.
A person following this case would notice a total cessation of the execution process and a transition to emergency medical care for the inmate. The concrete day-to-day change for the state is the shift from pursuing a legal sentence to providing intensive medical treatment for the burns and barbiturate toxicity resulting from the state's own procedure. This event sets a precedent regarding the medical and legal obligations a state faces when a lethal injection fails to result in death but causes significant injury.
The knock-on effects could influence future execution protocols in Tennessee and other states, as well as lead to further litigation regarding the use of pentobarbital. What happens next depends on Pike’s recovery; as of Sunday, October 4, she remained in critical care with no reported date for a medical update or a new execution warrant. A medical representative holding her power of attorney will determine what information is released to the public.