Death row inmate Christa Pike, who survived a botched execution in Tennessee in October, has disclosed that she has been taken to hospital at least once since returning to prison, according to a personal statement obtained by PEOPLE.
Pike, 50, survived two substantial doses of pentobarbital when the state of Tennessee attempted to carry out her death sentence for the 1995 killing of fellow student Colleen Slemmer. The lethal injection did not prove fatal but caused severe burns and blistering to her arms.
Survival and Recovery
Emergency dispatch recordings revealed it took 31 minutes for prison authorities to verify that a call for urgent medical help was genuine, after miscommunication between prison personnel and emergency services caused significant delays. In the aftermath of the unsuccessful execution, Pike remained unconscious for several days, requiring a ventilator while in intensive care. Medical staff suspected she may have suffered brain death.
However, she regained consciousness, began speaking, and was released from a Nashville hospital on 9 October, reports the Daily Star.
Health Concerns and Prison Conditions
In her personal statement, Pike says she has already "returned to the hospital emergency room once" since her release, "but was not readmitted for inpatient care." She describes difficulties readjusting to prison life, with her primary worry being her health and wellbeing. Pike alleges she is being compelled to undertake duties that pose a "high risk of infection and further injury," including cleaning a "roach-infested shower."
Pike states that while she does wish to rejoin the general prison population, she is unable to return to the pod where she was previously housed prior to her botched execution.
Safety Concerns
"This pod houses inmates with significant histories of assaults and disciplinary problems. In my two years living in this pod after entering into the settlement, I witnessed multiple assaults by close custody inmates of other inmates and guards, multiple individuals who were undergoing acute psychological breakdowns, and significant danger," Pike explains.
Pike goes on to state that given her "current physical condition," being placed in that pod would pose a serious risk to her safety. "I could not defend myself or get away if another inmate attacked me," Pike writes. "I am afraid that I will be seriously hurt if I am moved to that pod while I am this weak."
Rather, Pike says she simply wishes to participate in "group meals, group classes, lobby time, group religious services, work assignments, or shared recreation." At present, she spends all of her time in isolation within the infirmary, with the exception of meetings with her legal team. The presiding judge has set a deadline of November 4 for the defendants to submit their response to Pike's motion.
