Christa Pike in critical condition after execution attempt

Lawyers for Christa Pike reported that she is unconscious and on a ventilator following a failed execution attempt in Tennessee. Pike is believed to be the first person to survive the administration of lethal drugs in the modern era. According to her attorneys, Pike was audibly snoring after receiving two doses of lethal injection on Wednesday. The court filing provides the first account of her condition following the botched execution. Pike's attorneys indicated that issues with the IV lines may have caused the lethal drug, pentobarbital, to not enter her bloodstream as intended. They stated, "Apparently 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's body." Instead of addressing the issue, the execution team administered a second dose of pentobarbital. Questions remain regarding the next steps and whether the state can attempt to execute Pike again given her medical condition. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced a temporary pause on the execution, stating that a "comprehensive, third-party review" of the case will take place. Pike, 50 years old, was scheduled to be the first woman executed in Tennessee in 200 years. The Death Penalty Information Center notes that she is believed to be the first person to survive lethal doses of execution drugs in the modern era of the death penalty.