Folks, I’m sipping my coffee and reading about Christa Pike, the woman who survived Tennessee’s attempt to put her to death via lethal injection last week. I almost spilled my coffee reading this one – it’s like something out of a bad movie. Attorneys for Pike will be in court Wednesday seeking to preserve relevant evidence in her twice-botched execution. I mean, who needs a fictional thriller when you have real-life stories like this, right?
Pike has been hospitalized for nearly a week after being injected with two ostensibly fatal doses of pentobarbital. Her attorneys said she was finally conscious and speaking on Tuesday, though she continues to receive critical medical care and suffered “severe damage” to her arms. I can only imagine the pain and trauma she must have endured.
The attorneys said in a statement that Pike’s recovery is “medically unprecedented” and her prognosis remains unclear, but they expect a long recovery. I’m no medical expert, but it sounds like she’s got a tough road ahead of her. Pike’s lawyers filed an emergency motion to ensure the preservation of evidence, alleging the Tennessee Department of Correction inflicted “a cruel and unusual punishment” on Pike. That’s some serious stuff.
A hearing on the motion is scheduled for noon ET in Davidson County Chancery Court in Nashville. I’m curious to see how this plays out. Those administering the lethal injection attempted to gain IV access to Pike using “at least seven needles,” and one needle was even bent in a 90-degree angle when it was removed. You can’t make this stuff up, folks. It’s like a bad episode of “Grey’s Anatomy”.
Pike’s attorneys first alerted the state about its duty to preserve evidence at 1:09 a.m. ET on Thursday, hours after Pike’s botched execution. They’re now looking to preserve relevant physical, written, and electronic evidence. I hope they get to the bottom of this mess. When Pike arrived at the hospital, her attorneys said her arms were “swollen, burned, and blistered”. Pentobarbital apparently “burns upon contact, including skin, tissue, and veins”. Ouch.
Pike was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death for the brutal 1995 killing of Colleen Slemmer, a fellow student at a job training facility. It’s a tragic story all around. The state Attorney General’s Office hasn’t indicated whether it will seek to put her to death again, but Pike’s lawyers have called on Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee to commute her sentence to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
After Pike’s failed execution, Lee suspended executions for the rest of the year and announced a third party will do “a thorough and comprehensive” review of her case. He also announced Correction Commissioner Frank Strada would step down later this month following backlash over Pike’s failed execution. It’s about time someone took responsibility for this mess.
Republican US Sen. Marsha Blackburn, who is running to replace Lee as governor in January, called to bring back the electric chair and “deliver justice for these victims swiftly”. I’m not sure that’s the solution, but I do think the people of Tennessee deserve some answers. As Stephen Ferrell, one of Pike’s attorneys, said, “The state of Tennessee has got to start telling its people exactly what it is doing, so that in the democratic process, the people of Tennessee can decide if that’s what they want to be done in their name.”
In conclusion, this story is a wild ride, folks. I’m still trying to wrap my head around it all. Christa Pike’s case is a mess, and I hope the courts and the state of Tennessee can get to the bottom of it. As I finish my coffee, I’m left thinking – what’s next for Pike, and what does this mean for the death penalty in Tennessee? Only time will tell, but one thing’s for sure – this story is far from over, and I’ll be watching it with a mixture of fascination and horror. 🙃
Armchair patriot. Believes in the free market, cold beer, and that there’s always a guy named George behind every CNN segment.
Former remote-throwing champion turned #1 couch commentator on liberal panic in the media. Born in Texas (or so his mug says), he earned a degree in Fake Newsology & Beer Philosophy from YouTube University.
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