Tennessee Halts Executions After Botched Lethal Injection of Christa Pike
Governor orders review after two attempts to execute the state's only woman on death row fail.
Tennessee has halted all executions for the remainder of the year following two failed attempts to execute Christa Pike, the state's only woman on death row, by lethal injection on Wednesday. Governor Bill Lee announced the pause and ordered a third-party review to investigate the circumstances of the botched procedure.
Pike, convicted of murder, was in hospital receiving life-saving measures as of Thursday morning. The attempted execution had been the subject of a significant legal challenge prior to Wednesday's events.
The details of the execution process and the reasons for its failure are currently under review. The state has not provided further information on the specifics of the incidents. Pike's case has drawn attention due to her status as the sole woman on death row in Tennessee.