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Christa Pike sends nine-word text to supporter after being released from hospital back to prison
Christa Pike’s case has taken another turn after the inmate allegedly revealed what is happening to her in a one-sentence message.
The death row inmate, who survived two lethal injection doses, has been in the news constantly as people want to know updates about her current condition after her execution failed on September 30.
Pike had been in prison after being sentenced to death in 1996 for the 1995 murder of classmate 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer, whom then-18-year-old Pike and her 17-year-old boyfriend Tadaryl Shipp tortured and killed.
While Shipp - who is still incarcerated - avoided the death penalty due to his age, Pike did not.
During the attempt to enact her lethal injection, Tennessee authorities used two doses of pentobarbital, but both failed to stop her heart.
Having been rushed to hospital and provided with life-saving measures, Pike’s legal team issued an update on Saturday (October 10), which revealed the 50-year-old was discharged and transferred to the Debra K Johnson Rehabilitation Centre.
Her defense said: "Christa Pike was discharged from a local hospital and is now at Debra K. Johnson Rehabilitation Center where she has been housed for more than 30 years.
"She is grateful to the first responders and her medical team for their care in these extraordinary circumstances. She is continuing to receive medical care at the prison, and we will continue to track her recovery."
But the Senior National Correspondent for NewsNation has claimed Pike has issued an update of her own, by writing a nine-word message to someone on the outside from her tablet.
Posting to X with a link to a YouTube video which investigates the latest in the case, Brian Entin revealed that a source close to Pike sent a photo of a screen appearing to show a text delivered by the person at 12:14 am Saturday morning.
Christa Pike’s name appeared at the top, indicating she was the sender, as he said she texted from her tablet: "I'm at the prison. I love you so much!"
Right now, there is a big debate on whether the use of lethal injection, or any execution method, is morally sound.
Legal experts are currently discussing three possible outcomes for Pike, which could have a big impact on the argument.
The options being considered include a second execution attempt using a different method, a further attempt using lethal injection once more, or potentially commuting her original sentence entirely due to the complications in the first execution attempt.
However, her recovery is thought to be long due to the health issues her legal team claims she has been left with.
In a statement obtained by The New York Post, Pike's lawyers said of her condition: "While her physical recovery has been remarkable, significant questions remain about the long-term effects of what she endured."