One week after delivering what she believed would be her final statement, Christa Pike is speaking again.
Pike, who was convicted in the brutal 1995 killing of Colleen Slemmer, has reportedly begun talking while recovering in a hospital after Tennessee’s failed lethal-injection execution on Sept. 30.
Dr. Joel Zivot, an anesthesiologist who has advised Pike’s legal team, told the BBC that Pike could identify herself and retained some memories of her hospitalization. However, he said she apparently does not remember the attempted execution.
According to Zivot, Pike can communicate in a limited, basic manner but remains disoriented about time. She was unable to state the date and believed it was still September.
Doctors do not yet know how long Pike’s recovery may take. Zivot said it could be several weeks or even months before her condition and long-term outlook become clearer.
Pike remains in intensive care, Zivot said. Although she no longer needs a ventilator and is able to speak, he cautioned that she remains at serious medical risk and that further complications are possible.
What Happened at Christa Pike’s Failed Execution?
Pike survived two attempts to administer pentobarbital before being taken to a hospital for emergency treatment.
“Against all odds, Christa Pike is conscious, speaking, and continues to receive critical medical care,” her attorneys Randy Spivey, Kelly Gleason and Luke Ihnen said Oct. 6. They added that Pike suffered severe injuries to her arms but remains handcuffed and shackled to her hospital bed.
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Her lawyers described the recovery as medically unprecedented and said her prognosis remains uncertain. At minimum, they expect Pike to face a lengthy rehabilitation.
Witnesses who observed the attempted execution also described a series of extraordinary events during the procedure.
Catherine Sweeney of WPLN, one of the media witnesses, said Pike continued breathing after two rounds of drugs were administered. Sweeney described the breathing as labored and said Pike lifted her head, looked around and complained that a particular area was burning and painful, asking whether that was normal. Sweeney, who has covered numerous executions, said she had never witnessed anything comparable.
What Happened To Christa Pike’s Prison Chief?
The failed execution was followed by a leadership change in Tennessee’s corrections department. Days later, Gov. Bill Lee announced that Corrections Commissioner Frank Strada would leave his position.
In a statement issued Oct. 3 and reported by ABC News, Lee thanked Strada for serving with integrity and said the commissioner had put the interests of Tennessee residents first during a difficult period.
Strada’s departure came as the state launched an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Pike’s botched execution.
“I believe this review is entirely appropriate and necessary,” Strada said, according to CNN. He added that he intended to cooperate fully with the effort to establish exactly what happened.