Christa Pike, the 50-year-old Tennessee death row inmate who survived a botched lethal injection, is showing signs of improvement, according to her attorneys. Pike regained consciousness on Tuesday and has since taken limited steps, eaten for the first time, and is regaining some mobility in her arms, her legal team said in a fresh update on Thursday.
Survival and Initial Recovery
Pike survived two doses of pentobarbital during the execution attempt for the 1995 beating and murder of her classmate Colleen Slemmer. Instead of dying, she was left with burnt and blistered arms and was unconscious and on a ventilator in hospital for the first few days.
Her lawyers said it was "to the shock of everyone" that she woke up on Tuesday and began to speak. Randy Spivey told reporters on Wednesday that she asked two questions as soon as she woke up: "Where am I and who are you?" He said: "I do not have an explanation for what happened between Monday night and Tuesday morning, but what we do know is that Christa has a long road to recovery."
Physical and Psychological Condition
On Thursday, her lawyers gave a fresh update, noting she took "limited" steps on Wednesday and required some assistance as she walked on Thursday. They also said she was able to eat for the first time and is regaining some mobility in her arms. However, uncertainty remains about her physical recovery and her legal standing following the botched execution.
Spivey said on Wednesday that his client has suffered "extraordinary" swelling to her hands, which he described as looking like "if you tried to blow up a surgical glove." She also initially woke up with a blood clot and pneumonia, and was unable to swallow, eat or move her badly swollen arms. "I don't know what function she will regain," he said. "We do know that there is a long road ahead. While her physical recovery has been remarkable, significant questions remain about the long-term effects of what she endured."
Legal and Official Reactions
The statement on Thursday said: "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." The lawyers added in the press conference that the botched execution of their client was "foreseeable."
Mr Spivey said it was "foreseeable and foreseen," and he claimed the state of Tennessee was warned ahead of time about what could occur. He explained: "What happened to Christa is exactly what the state was warned would happen, and there are so many questions that need to be answered, not by Christa — but by the state of Tennessee. One of those questions has to be, 'how much suffering is enough?'" Spivey added that Pike had issues with her veins that courts were made aware of before, hence why a lethal execution may not have worked. He added that Pike was "at peace" before she was put to death, and "kind and polite" while officials attempted to kill her.
Spivey told the press conference that he believed she now feels "angry and confused," and is asking about people. She said: "She has wanted to know what's happened, and she's asked about several people. I think she is angry and confused about everything right now."
May Martinez, the mother of Pike's murder victim Colleen Slemmer, said she had a feeling Pike would survive. She also said she does not think that Tennessee will make another attempt to execute her daughter's killer, she said in an interview with NBC affiliate WBIR. WBIR asked Martinez what her preference would be for what happens next to Pike, to which she responded, "It doesn't matter what I think. They're going to do what they're going to do."
Pike remains shackled to her bed at the Tennessee hospital as officials debate what should now happen to the inmate. Her lawyers have requested these shackles are released. Attorney Luke Ihnen told Judge l'Ashea Myles: "My understanding is one hand is shackled and her feet are shackled. Medical personnel have requested that her hand at least be unshackled, given the extensive damage done to her arms and hands."
It remains unclear whether another execution attempt will take place but her lawyers have urged it does not. They said in a statement: "She should never be subjected to another execution attempt."
