{"id":2675212,"date":"2026-10-03T20:22:54","date_gmt":"2026-10-04T00:22:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tennessee-is-keeping-death-row-inmate-alive-after-botching-her-execution\/"},"modified":"2026-10-03T20:25:30","modified_gmt":"2026-10-04T00:25:30","slug":"tennessee-is-keeping-death-row-inmate-alive-after-botching-her-execution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tennessee-is-keeping-death-row-inmate-alive-after-botching-her-execution\/","title":{"rendered":"Tennessee Is Keeping Death Row Inmate Alive After Botching Her Execution"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftennessee-is-keeping-death-row-inmate-alive-after-botching-her-execution%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2675212&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Christa Pike, convicted of a 1995 murder, was subject to an attempted execution in Tennessee that did not go as planned. Despite receiving multiple doses of pentobarbital, she remained alive and was found unconscious in a hospital where her condition was critical. Her lawyers reported she was on a ventilator with significant injuries to both arms and highlighted potential errors in the administration of the lethal injection, suggesting the IV lines may have been improperly placed, causing the drug to enter her body inadequately.The incident has sparked criticism of Tennessee\u2019s execution procedures, with Pike\u2019s legal team deeming the state&#8217;s actions reckless and unconstitutional. As a result, tennessee&#8217;s governor paused executions in the state, though some politicians have expressed intentions to proceed with Pike&#8217;s execution if possible. The case has also elicited emotional responses from the victim\u2019s family, who expressed feelings of injustice and heartbreak over the failed attempt.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><br \/>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>More than two days after her botched execution, convicted murderer Christa Pike was alive in a Tennessee hospital.<\/p>\n<p>Pike, 50, was to have been executed Wednesday night in connection with a 1995 murder. However, despite being given at least two doses of the drug Tennessee uses for lethal injections \u2014 pentobarbital \u2014 she did not die.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHospital staff are working to save Ms. Pike\u2019s life and to clear the pentobarbital from her system,\u201d her lawyers wrote in a court filing, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/10\/02\/us\/christa-pike-unconscious-what-next.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The New York Times<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In a separate statement, Pike\u2019s lawyers said she was receiving treatment for \u201csignificant injuries to both arms.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Luke Ihnen, who represents Pike through the Federal Defender Services of Eastern Tennessee, said that \u201cwe are working closely with those closest to Christa to respect her wishes, safeguard her privacy and protect her rights as a patient during this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/caitlyn-jenner-o-j-simpson-told-nicole-brown-ill-kill-you-and-get-away-with-it\/\" title=\"Caitlyn Jenner: O.J. Simpson Told Nicole Brown &#039;I&#039;ll Kill You and Get Away with It&#039;\">extraordinarily difficult time<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/interactive\/2026\/10\/02\/us\/documentfragment813181-2.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">emergency motion<\/a> filed by Pike\u2019s lawyers said the last they were told, Pike was \u201cintubated, on a ventilator and remains unconscious.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cApparently at no point did any member of the execution team realize that the IV lines were not correctly placed or that the veins had blown and that the pentobarbital was, in whole or in part, entering Ms. Pike\u2019s body,\u201d the motion said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cInstead of remedying this failure, TDOC elected to prepare a backup set of syringes (if they were not also prepared earlier that day) and then administered another lethal dose of pentobarbital,\u201d the motion added. TDOC is the acronym for the Tennessee Department of Corrections.<\/p>\n<p>Pike \u201ccould be heard crying, whimpering, and breathing loudly\u201d the filing said, adding that she told corrections staff her arm \u201cfeels like it\u2019s about to burst open.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The motion said Tennessee committed a \u201cmanifest violation\u201d of Pike\u2019s constitutional rights and called its actions \u201creckless\u201d and \u201cincompetent.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Should Pike survive, next steps are unclear, as noted by The New York Times.<\/p>\n<p>Outgoing Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee has halted executions in the state for now, but Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn said that if elected, she would seek to execute Pike.<\/p>\n<p>Pike\u2019s lawyers have asked Lee to allow Pike to serve a life sentence in the aftermath of the botched attempt to execute her.<\/p>\n<p>May Martinez, the mother of Pike\u2019s victim, Colleen Slemmer, who was 19 at the time she was murdered, said she felt Tennessee failed her daughter and her family, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.firstcoastnews.com\/article\/news\/crime\/colleen-slemmers-mother-speaks-after-failed-christa-pike-execution\/77-3a01de77-13e2-4872-a934-9c408dae8164\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WJXX-TV<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAll I wanted was justice,\u201d Martinez said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s hard. I broke down in tears,\u201d Martinez, who witnessed the failed execution, said. \u201cShe was laying on the table, talking, still laughing, picking up her head.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI said, \u2018I don\u2019t agree with what you guys are doing. Now I have to worry about her being out,\u2019\u201d Martinez said. \u201cAnd then I brought up, \u2018Is she going to come back to the prison?\u2019 \u2018I don\u2019t know what we\u2019re doing with her yet.\u2019 That\u2019s the answers I got.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI said, \u2018Here we are, 31 years, and you\u2019re laughing in my face again,\u2019\u201d Martinez said. \u201cAnd that\u2019s what I feel like they did.\u201d<\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #171717; display: flex;font-size: 16px;font-weight: 600;line-height: 1.5;margin: 24px 0;padding: 18px 20px 18px 30px;text-align: left;\">\n<div style=\"align-self: stretch;border-left: 3px solid #171717;flex-shrink: 0;padding-left: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<p><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/\">Choose The Western Journal as your preferred source on Google and never miss reporting that defends truth, protects freedom, and advances Western civilization<\/a><\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey == typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts = { \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs = [ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i = 0; i < inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! 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