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Tennessee governor reveals what is set to happen next to Christa Pike after botched execution
Authorities have released a major update on Christa Pike, with the Tennessee governor revealing what is likely to come next for the murderer who survived a failed execution attempt.
Pike, who was sentenced to death for the murder of Colleen Slemmer, was rushed to hospital after the state’s execution procedure failed back in September.
Tennessee Governor shares update on Christa Pike
Now, the Tennessee governor, Bill Lee, has shared what the process may look like for Pike, who has spent over 30 years awaiting the death penalty.
Lee, who is set to leave his post next year, revealed, “As it relates to a particular individual like Christa Pike and her crime, she’s still incarcerated under the laws of the state of Tennessee.
“I suspect her sentence will be the same as before unless determined otherwise by the courts.”
Pike was handed the death penalty for killing Slemmer, along with her then-boyfriend, Tadaryl Shipp. They beat, cut, and disfigured her before carving satanic symbols into her chest and removing a piece of her skull, which Pike allegedly kept.
Having been on death row ever since, Pike was later convicted of attempted murder of a fellow inmate while in prison, and has lodged several appeals to have her death penalty downgraded to life imprisonment, like Shipp, who was spared death on account of his age.
Pike's failed execution
After last-ditch efforts to delay her execution were dismissed by the courts, Pike’s execution took place as planned, on September 30. However, following attempts to establish an IV line and two administrations of the lethal injection, she remained alive and was consequently taken to hospital.
While medical opinion was that Pike would be left with permanent brain damage, she miraculously regained consciousness on October 6, before later being discharged.
The state of Tennessee’s execution protocol has come under fire, with many calling for it to be scrapped.
The Tennessee Department of Correction has since claimed that it “followed every step of the State’s lawful, established execution protocol,” claiming that the lethal injection has “consistently been effective for death penalties” in the past.
The state has suspended all upcoming executions for the remainder of the year, with investigations into Pike’s lethal injection still ongoing, as they look to establish how it was unsuccessful.
For now, Pike remains in prison, awaiting a ruling and the results of the investigation.