Christa Pike Survives Two Lethal Injection Doses in Tennessee Execution Attempt

BBC World · world

In an unprecedented event, 50-year-old inmate Christa Pike survived two doses of pentobarbital during a lethal injection attempt in Tennessee. Veteran execution reporter Michael Graczyk noted that while he has witnessed needles fail, he has never seen an inmate survive after the injection was delivered. Tennessee's protocol includes a second set of drugs if the first fails, but does not specify actions if the inmate remains alive after both. Governor Bill Lee has halted executions and ordered a review of procedures.