Christa Pike, the death row inmate who survived a failed execution attempt in Tennessee, is now walking on her own and speaking in full sentences, her lawyers have revealed in a major update.
Her attorneys said the inmate's mobility has improved and she can now walk more independently. They also told TMZ that Pike is able to communicate more clearly. The lasting damage caused by the botched execution attempt will take another month or longer to establish, her lawyers said.
Surviving the lethal injection
Pike, who murdered Colleen Slemmer in 1995, was set to become the first woman to be executed in Tennessee in more than 200 years. Instead, she became the first prisoner to survive a lethal injection.
The convicted murderer was given two doses of pentobarbital on September 30. After the second dose did not end Pike's life, and she was heard snoring, she was rushed to hospital.
Delayed medical response
Medical help for Pike was delayed due to confusion among first responders who initially did not believe the inmate was still alive, according to 911 dispatch recordings. The 50-year-old's lawyer, Kelly Gleason, had to personally call emergency services after initial reports from the prison were dismissed as a false alarm.
It wasn't until about half an hour after the initial call that prison officials confirmed the call was real and began letting responders through the gate.
Recovery and ongoing care
Pike's legal team say that upon regaining consciousness, she felt "angry and confused," immediately asking, "Where am I?" and "Who are you?" They previously said her recovery in hospital was "medically unprecedented" and that her arms were left burned and blistered.
She was discharged from hospital 10 days after the execution attempt and sent back to Tennessee's Debra K. Johnson Rehabilitation Center, where she has been housed for more than 30 years. Pike's lawyers say she is continuing to receive medical care in prison, though it is unclear what care she is receiving now. They previously said she faced a "long road to recovery."
Authorities have yet to say whether they will make another attempt to execute Pike and have not publicly explained what went wrong during the procedure.
