Christa Pike now walking after failed US execution, lawyer tells BBC

Christa Pike, a Tennessee death row inmate convicted of the 1995 murder of Colleen Slemmer, is reportedly recovering in a hospital after a failed execution attempt on September 30, 2026. Her lawyer, Stephen Ferrell, states that while she is now walking short distances, she remains mentally 'foggy' and has severe injuries to her arms. The execution, involving two doses of pentobarbital, was halted after Pike remained alive and was subsequently declared brain dead before regaining consciousness. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has paused all executions for the remainder of the year and ordered a third-party review, while a court has ordered the state to preserve all physical and psychological evidence related to the event.

Christa Pike, a Tennessee death row inmate convicted of the 1995 murder of Colleen Slemmer, is reportedly recovering in a hospital after a failed execution attempt on September 30, 2026. Her lawyer, Stephen Ferrell, states that while she is now walking short distances, she remains mentally 'foggy' and has severe injuries to her arms. The execution, involving two doses of pentobarbital, was halted after Pike remained alive and was subsequently declared brain dead before regaining consciousness. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has paused all executions for the remainder of the year and ordered a third-party review, while a court has ordered the state to preserve all physical and psychological evidence related to the event.