Christa Pike has taken her first aided steps just a week after a failed execution attempt in Tennessee left her fighting for survival, according to her legal representatives.
Pike, 50, endured two doses of pentobarbital as officials sought to carry out her death sentence eight days earlier for the 1995 fatal beating and stabbing of classmate Colleen Slemmer. The lethal substance proved ineffective, with her lawyers noting that her arms suffered burns and blistering.
Recovery and hospital care
During the initial days in hospital, Pike remained unconscious and required breathing assistance. Her first steps on Wednesday were described as "limited" and she needed help while moving around. She also managed to eat for the first time, her legal team confirmed.
Pike regained consciousness on Tuesday, waking up and becoming able to communicate, her representatives confirmed. Initially described as "angry and confused" in the hours after coming round, it was further confirmed on Thursday that she continued to struggle with issues relating to concentration and memory.
Legal and psychological concerns
Her lawyers warned in a statement that substantial doubt persisted about her prospects from both physical and legal standpoints. They said: "While her physical recovery has been remarkable, significant questions remain about the long-term effects of what she endured. Christa is dealing with the profound psychological trauma of having survived a failed execution, including the terror, pain and uncertainty of believing she was about to die."
Medical staff have stated that it is too early to assess what any long-term implications may be, her legal team added.
Scrutiny and next steps
The botched execution on 30 September has heightened scrutiny of how American states carry out the death penalty. Texas on Wednesday performed the nation's first execution since the Tennessee episode.
A number of pressing questions also remain over Pike's legal future, not least whether Tennessee will seek to carry out a second execution attempt. Her lawyers have signalled their intention to lobby Republican Governor Bill Lee to commute her death sentence to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. "She should never be subjected to another execution attempt," the statement read.
