Lawyers speaking on behalf of convicted killer Christa Pike have argued that a second execution attempt would likely end up with her surviving again because of her small veins
Botched execution victim Christa Pike will “likely survive again” if a second execution attempt is given the greenlight, argue the convicted killer’s lawyers. There’s still uncertainty around whether Pike will undergo a second execution attempt, but it comes after she reportedly requested to be hanged the first time because of her “small veins”.
Speaking at a hearing in Tennessee, the judge said she underwood “all executions have been suspended for now”, asking assistant attorney general John W Ayers if he could confirm if this would be made permanent or if the state was prepared not to reschedule the execution.
Ayers said he “can’t answer that question”, as he is “not in a position to”. In a health update following the news that Pike was now conscious and talking, her lawyer Luke Ihnen said she would have felt a vivid feeling of drowning despite seeming drowsy during the attempt.
The court heard Pike has narrow veins and had struggled with drawing blood before, with staff often using a butterfly needle. Reports suggest she had opted to be hanged instead. Pike had a “history of difficulty with blood draws and needle insertion”, Luke Ihnen read out.
“Prison medical staff often use a butterfly needle on her arm to draw blood, because her veins are so difficult to access.” It was likely that those “physical characteristics would interfere with the proper delivery of the poison”, Ihnen added. “[She was] sharply awakened with the sensation of drowning… being tortured as they are executed.”
He concluded that she was likely to survive again if another execution is scheduled: “The state has made no promises that Ms Pike will not be subject to a future execution. And the evidence that we are seeking to preserve now is relevant for any future challenge that she makes. Because, as we pled in January, the same thing is likely to happen.”
During the hearing, the lawyers made a request for all evidence of the botched execution to be preserved – including needles, residue, waste, packing, labels, CCTV, photos etc. Pike’s lawyers said the state had been withholding some evidence, however, the judge granted the permission. He also requested that she be provided with a mobile phone so she can contact counsel, also that her shackles are removed.
Pike’s attorneys said Tuesday that she was awake and speaking as she received treatment at a hospital. It is currently unknown if Pike will go through a second execution as Tennessee stopped their schedule after the failed attempt on the teen killer.
Pike, 50, survived two doses of pentobarbital as executioners attempted to put her to death September 30 for the 1995 beating and stabbing death of classmate Colleen Slemmer. Pike is believed to be the only person to survive after lethal injection drugs were administered.
Pike’s attorneys said her arms were burned and blistered after the attempted lethal injection and that she is handcuffed to the hospital bed. “Against all odds, Christa Pike is conscious, speaking, and continues to receive critical medical care,” attorneys for Pike said in a statement.
Tonight at midnight, another man is set to be put to death in Texas. If it goes ahead it will be the 30th to have taken place in the United States this year. Jamaal Howard, 46, is set to be the first Death Row inmate to be executed by lethal injection using pentobarbital since the failed attempt on Pike last week.
Texas has executed six people so far this year and has two more scheduled after Howard. Despite Pike’s case sparked concern over pentobarbital, the state of Texas has not changed plans on using the drug. Read the full story here.
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