Christa Pike, convicted of murdering classmate Colleen Slemmer three decades ago, survived Tennessee's attempt to execute her through an unprecedented two lethal injections, prison officials said. The attempt marked the state's first execution of a woman in 200 years.
Witnesses describe the scene
Witnesses recounted the events during the procedure. Tori Gessner, a news anchor for ABC affiliate WKRN, said: "At one point … she said, 'my arm feels like it's about to burst open'" before adding, "then she smiles really big." Other journalists present described Pike snoring, exhaling loudly, and gasping.
No protocol for a second failure
Catherine Sweeney, a health reporter for WPLN, noted that the state's protocol had no rules for what should happen if a dose failed to work a second time. Following the attempt, Pike was taken to an off-site medical facility for treatment and is still alive.
