Tennessee must preserve evidence related to Christa Pike’s failed execution, judge rules
The judge also ordered prison officials to give Pike’s lawyers faster access as they seek records on the failed lethal injection.
- On Wednesday, Chancellor Ashea Myles ordered Tennessee to preserve all evidence from Christa Pike's failed Sept. 30 execution and directed prison wardens to respond within two hours to access requests from Pike's legal team.
- Tennessee attempted to execute Pike on Sept. 30 for the 1995 murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer, but the procedure failed after she survived two doses of pentobarbital. Pike faced the first female execution in Tennessee in more than 200 years.
- Pike's attorneys reported she suffered "severe damage" to her arms and remains "speaking limitedly" while receiving critical medical care. Chancellor Myles ordered preservation of medical equipment, communications, photographs, and execution records.
- Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee paused all state executions for the remainder of 2026 and announced Correction Commissioner Frank Strada will step down this month. Lee also ordered an independent investigation into the failed procedure.
- Pike's future remains uncertain as no execution order currently exists, though the state has not ruled out seeking another date. Attorneys argue a second execution attempt would likely violate constitutional protections against cruel punishment.
146 Articles
146 Articles
Tennessee court rules state must preserve all records from botched execution
A Davidson County Chancery judge ordered Tennessee officials on Wednesday to preserve all evidence related to the botched execution of Christa Pike. Chancellor I’Ashea Myles ruled that the Tennessee Department of Correction must “preserve all evidence” related to the failed execution of Pike by two rounds of lethal injection last week. Myles’ ruling comes one […]
Christa Pike has woken up after the execution attempt. Now the investigation is underway -- and a Tennessee judge is coming with a sharp order to the U.S. Correctional Service. At the same time, the lawyers are raging against what they say is an attempt to cover up what actually happened.
Arab News
The Frontier PostAfter botched US execution, Christa Pike was nearly taken off life support
Christa Pike, a convicted killer, regained consciousness after a failed execution and was nearly removed from life support. A court has ordered the preservation of evidence in her case.
Death row inmate Christa Pike survived an execution attempt in Tennessee. She woke up in the hospital, and the court ordered the state to preserve all evidence related to the failed execution.
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