Christa Pike says she remains in pain after failed US lethal injection

What's new

Christa Pike, 50, says she is still in constant pain roughly a month after surviving an execution attempt by lethal injection in Tennessee. Her account, her first public statement since the failed attempt in September, was reported by Al Jazeera, Times of India, DW and the BBC. She told reporters she woke up confused and in pain, and described her body and state of mind in strong terms. She is currently held in solitary confinement.

Why it matters

The case raises questions about how the state carried out the execution and about Pike's condition afterward. Because the attempt failed, her legal position is now unsettled, and her future is uncertain. Her legal team is pressing for her death sentence to be changed to life imprisonment.

What others say

Reports from the four outlets broadly agree on Pike's account of pain and confusion. DW adds that the state governor has ordered an investigation into what happened.

What we don't know yet

The reports do not give the findings of the governor's investigation or a timeline for it. It is also not clear from these sources what Pike's medical treatment has involved or whether a court will rule on her sentence.