Tennessee officials gave Christa Gail Pike two doses of pentobarbital on Wednesday and she remained alive, her attorneys said, ending the execution attempt.
What's next: Governor Bill Lee ordered "a comprehensive, third-party review to determine exactly what occurred" and said the remaining scheduled execution will be held off until next year.
- Pike, 50, was alive and loudly snoring after the injections and left the prison by ambulance, her attorneys said. Her lawyer Randy Spivey said Thursday she is in critical condition receiving life-saving care.
Zoom in: Witnesses said curtains opened at 7:27 p.m., the second dose went in by 8:26 p.m., and Pike could still be heard breathing when the microphone was cut at 8:53 p.m.
Between the lines: Robin M. Maher of the Death Penalty Information Center called the outcome "singular and unparalleled": seven people have survived failed IV attempts, and none stayed alive after receiving the drugs.
Why it matters: Tennessee's protocol provides a second set of syringes if a prisoner is alive, and stops there. The state attorney general's office said it agrees an investigation is needed.
