Inmate Recovers 'Remarkably' After Botched Lethal Injection, Lawyer Says

Christa Pike, 50, is making a "remarkable physical recovery" after surviving two doses of lethal injection on September 30, according to her lawyers. Pike was on Tennessee's death row for the 1995 beating and stabbing death of classmate Colleen Slemmer.

Her attorneys stated that Pike was believed to be brain dead after the failed execution attempt but miraculously woke up on Tuesday. "We're not sure exactly of the long-term effects, but she's clearly cognitively not quite back to normal and may have a long way to go," attorney Stephen Ferrell of Federal Defender Services of Eastern Tennessee told ABC News on Thursday. "There's a lot of psychological trauma that she's going through and still suffering through. But her physical state is improving remarkably."

Pike's arms sustained burns and blisters, which her lawyers attributed to the pentobarbital being injected into her veins. For the initial days following the execution attempt, Pike was unconscious and on a ventilator. Her first steps on Wednesday were described as "limited," and she required assistance walking on Thursday. She is also regaining mobility in her arms and has begun to eat.

Despite the physical improvements, her legal team expressed uncertainty regarding her long-term recovery and legal status. Upon waking, Pike was described as "confused," and as of Thursday, she continued to struggle with concentration and memory. It remains unclear whether Tennessee officials will attempt to execute her again. Her lawyers have petitioned Governor Bill Lee to commute her sentence to life without parole.

A judge ordered the state to preserve all evidence from the failed execution. Judge I’Ashea Myles stated, "This case is unique to say the least," and cautioned officials to "take special care not to lose, misplace, accidentally delete any information pertinent to this investigation."