Botched Execution: Tennessee Woman Survives Lethal Injection

Christa Pike, the first woman scheduled for execution in Tennessee in 200 years, survived after receiving two doses of a lethal injection. Following the failed procedure, Pike was rushed to an intensive care unit, prompting her lawyers to declare, “The state has once again failed to carry out a lawful execution.” Despite the incident, the Tennessee Department of Corrections defended its actions, insisting that “every step of the legal execution protocol” was followed to the letter. In response to this being the state’s second failed execution attempt this year, Governor Bill Lee has ordered an independent investigation and suspended further executions.