Convicted US killer wakes up "foggy" after failed execution attempt
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Christa Pike, a 50-year-old Tennessee death row inmate, is currently recovering in a Nashville hospital after waking up from a failed execution attempt.
Her legal team stated that upon regaining consciousness, Pike was "angry and confused," asking where she was, though she has now managed to take brief steps around her hospital room.
Despite her progress, her attorneys noted that she remains mentally "foggy, easily loses her train of thought, and experiences severe swelling in her arms," raising concerns about potential permanent damage, according to attorney Stephen Ferrell in statements to BBC.
Her unexpected awakening came just hours before doctors were scheduled to remove her life support.
A court order requiring state officials to preserve all evidence from the failed execution may set the stage for upcoming legal action against the state.
"On Monday night, Pike's attorneys said they were told she was brain-dead and that life support would be removed the following day."
The ordeal began last Wednesday when state officials administered two lethal doses of pentobarbital in an effort to execute her.
"After Pike lost consciousness, her defense team filed emergency court motions arguing that she was still breathing and had a heartbeat, while witnesses reported hearing her snore."
Following the botched attempt, a judge ordered the state to preserve all evidence, including syringes, IV lines, surveillance footage, and communications.
