911 Calls Reveal Botched Execution Attempt for Christa Pike

Newly released 911 call transcripts and audio recordings detail the chaotic moments during the attempted execution of Christa Pike, the only woman on Tennessee's death row, which was halted after she showed signs of distress.

An hour after being administered 10 grams of the sedative pentobarbital on the night of September 30, callers reported that Pike was unconscious and breathing with difficulty. "We've been carrying out an execution tonight. We've administered 10 grams of pentobarbital. The person is not yet deceased. That started approximately 1 hour ago. And we're calling for an ambulance," one individual stated in a 911 call from Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville.

The call came in at 8:40 p.m. CT. When questioned by the dispatcher about Pike's breathing, the caller responded, "No. The breathing is very labored and slow." When asked about consciousness, the caller stated, "I don't know. The person is not conscious."

One of Pike's attorneys, Kelly Gleason, also contacted 911, reporting that Pike was "still alive and breathing, and needs immediate life-saving care." Gleason described Pike as "not awake, and she was snoring."

Pike was sentenced to death for the 1995 murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer. She has been reported as the first person to survive lethal injection after medication was administered, an event the Death Penalty Information Center described as "the worst we've ever seen and unlike any other botched execution in the modern era."

Pike's attorneys had previously raised concerns about the execution, citing the risk of pain and suffering associated with the drugs used. They reported that she suffered burns on her arms from the pentobarbital and experienced cognitive issues upon regaining consciousness after the failed execution attempt.

Following the incident, Pike was placed on a ventilator and later regained consciousness nearly a week later. She has since been released from the hospital and returned to prison, according to her legal team.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee temporarily halted all scheduled executions in the state after Pike's botched attempt. The Tennessee Department of Correction Commissioner Frank Strada resigned shortly thereafter. Governor Lee has appointed former U.S. Attorney Ed Stanton to conduct an independent review of the execution attempt, focusing on adherence to protocol and the need for future recommendations.

Pike's attorneys are advocating for her sentence to be commuted to life imprisonment without parole.