Execution team members in Tennessee encountered significant difficulties establishing intravenous lines in Christa Pike’s arms during her attempted execution on September 30, and expressed concerns that her veins may have ruptured, according to court documents filed by her attorney. The team reportedly used approximately 10 needles and attempted various IV sites on both of Pike’s arms before succeeding, with struggles even to push saline through the final established line.
Pike, 50, survived two doses of the lethal drug pentobarbital during the botched execution. She was convicted in 1996 for the 1995 murder of her high school classmate Colleen Slemmer, whom she tortured and killed with her boyfriend. At 18, Pike was one of the youngest women sentenced to death in the state.
Following the failed execution, Pike was hospitalized and placed on a ventilator for several days. Her attorneys initially did not expect her to survive but she eventually regained consciousness and returned to prison after her discharge.
The incident has intensified scrutiny on Tennessee's lethal injection procedures. The court document detailing the IV team's struggles was filed as part of a broader legal challenge by individuals on the state's death row questioning the state's methods.
Extensive IV Placement Attempts
According to attorney Randy Spivey's filing, the execution team began attempting to place the two required IV lines at 6:34 p.m. Pike reportedly assisted the team, suggesting they check her upper arm for viable veins. While an IV was established in her right arm within six minutes, it took nearly an hour to complete the process in her left arm.
During the prolonged attempts on her left arm, Pike displayed signs of discomfort, wincing and grimacing. Team members voiced uncertainty about the viability of the IV sites. At one point, around 6:57 p.m., a team member remarked that a vein "might be blowing," a concern that was not definitively confirmed or refuted by others.
Further attempts in the left arm involved needles appearing bent upon removal. By 7:07 p.m., one member stated, “I think it’s blown.” Despite these concerns, the team declared an IV successfully placed in Pike’s left arm at 7:13 p.m., after which her hands were secured and she was connected to a heart monitor.
Pike Reports Pain During Injection
Following the IV line placements, a series of communications occurred between the IV team and personnel in the execution chamber, who were responsible for administering the pentobarbital. Pike began complaining of pain around 7:34 p.m., stating, “I feel like my arm is about to bust. It burns.”
She continued speaking with her spiritual adviser for approximately 10 minutes before exhibiting signs of distress, including straining, flinching, and agitated breathing. Spivey requested to use a phone to contact legal counsel but was directed through a lengthy route within the facility. By 8:22 p.m., Spivey contacted other attorneys to request a halt to the execution, citing that a third dose of pentobarbital was not authorized by state protocol.
He informed the deputy attorney general that Pike required immediate medical attention. An ambulance was reported to be en route by 8:50 p.m., and arrived at the hospital around 9:14 p.m. Pike had previously been hospitalized and placed on a ventilator following the execution attempt.