Christa Gail Pike, 50, was given two doses of the lethal injection drug pentobarbital during her scheduled execution on Wednesday, September 30, in Nashville. She remained conscious, speaking, and even snoring.
Pike was sentenced to death for the 1995 murder of her classmate Colleen Slemmer. She and her then-17-year-old boyfriend, Tadaryl Shipp, tortured the victim and carved a pentagram into her chest.
The Two Doses
Pike received two separate doses of pentobarbital. After the first, she was still breathing. Attorneys reported she was “audibly snoring” at one point.
The second dose was administered by 8:26 p.m. The microphone was cut off at around 8:50 p.m., after witnesses were asked to leave while an ambulance arrived to take her to the hospital.
Words From Pike
Pike spoke several times during the execution. Her last words were quoted as “I’m going to leave this world the way I spent most of my life and that is in love.”
Another quote attributed to her was “I’m at peace. I’m ready to be free,” followed by “This is a happy day.” A reporter quoted her saying “My arm feels like it’s about to bust. One spot is really throbbing.” Another reporter heard her say “My arm feels like it’s about to burst open.”
What Happens Next
An ambulance arrived to take Pike to the hospital after the execution witnesses were asked to leave. Pike’s lawyers filed an emergency stay in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee.
They said Pike was put through “unnecessary agony” and her right to execution without cruel and unusual punishment was violated. The attorneys wrote that Pike had not lost consciousness, still had a heartbeat, and was audibly snoring.
The Execution Protocol
Tennessee Department of Corrections officials said they stand by the execution protocol. The protocol states that a second set of syringes is administered if the inmate is not deceased after the first dose.
The protocol does not address what happens if the subject is still alive after the second dose.
Seven Previous Survivals
There have been seven previous cases in the U.S. where inmates survived attempted executions because the injection team failed to access a vein. This is the first time someone survived after actually receiving the lethal injection.
Robin M. Maher, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, called what happened with Pike “singular and unparalleled.”
Abraham Bonowitz of Death Penalty Action condemned the Tennessee DOC, calling their competence “the lowest level tonight” and asking how they sleep at night.
Governor’s Order
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee ordered an investigation shortly before midnight. A constitutional fight is expected over whether a second execution attempt would be cruel and unusual punishment.
Earlier Requests
Pike had earlier asked if she could be hanged instead of lethal injection. Her lawyers filed a clemency petition earlier this month, citing a history of sexual abuse as a child and mental health issues.
Timeline of Events
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| Wednesday, September 30 | Execution begins in Nashville |
| Second dose | Administered by 8:26 p.m. |
| Microphone cut | Around 8:50 p.m. |
| Ambulance arrives | After witnesses were asked to leave |
| Stay filed | Emergency stay in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee |
| Investigation ordered | Shortly before midnight |
The Legal Fight Ahead
Pike’s lawyers argue she endured unnecessary agony and that her right to execution without cruel and unusual punishment was violated. The execution protocol offers no guidance when a condemned person survives both doses.
The question now is whether Tennessee can investigate its own failure without bias, and whether a second attempt would cross the line into cruelty.
The legal fight over whether a second attempt would be constitutional has only just begun.
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