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Christa Pike survives botched Tennessee execution attempt
Christa Pike, a death row inmate in Tennessee, survived a lethal injection attempt on September 30 after being administered two doses of pentobarbital. Pike, 50, was convicted for the 1995 murder of Colleen Slemmer.
Newly released 911 dispatch recordings reveal significant confusion and a nearly 30-minute delay in emergency medical response. Dispatchers initially treated the emergency call from Riverbend Maximum Security Institution as a prank because the caller could not provide a required security code. One recording from 9:03 p.m. shows a dispatcher stating, “Per supervisors here at the DEC, we have been informed it is a false call.” Emergency responders were only permitted to enter the prison after officials confirmed the emergency at 9:11 p.m. and legal counsel intervened.
Pike's legal team suggests the failure may have occurred because the pentobarbital spread under her skin rather than entering her bloodstream. Following the incident, Pike was hospitalized in critical condition, suffering from pneumonia, swelling, and a blood clot. She has since been discharged and returned to the Debra K. Johnson Rehabilitation Center.
Entities
Christa Pike · Colleen Slemmer · Deborah Denno · Debra K. Johnson Rehabilitation Center · Fordham University School of Law · Riverbend Maximum Security Institution · Tennessee · Tennessee Department of Correction · Tennessee Department of Corrections
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 7 SOURCES] Legal expert Deborah Denno argues a second execution attempt might violate the prohibition against double punishment. www.tz.de · www.merkur.de · www.mannheim24.de · www.formosadeportiva.com.ar
- [● 42 SOURCES] Christa Pike survived the administration of two doses of pentobarbital during an execution attempt. majicatl.com · toronto.citynews.ca · www.wishtv.com · 6abc.com · abc13.com · +37 more
- [● 13 SOURCES] The execution attempt involved the administration of 10 grams of pentobarbital. offthepress.com · 6abc.com · abc13.com · abc7.com · pulptastic.com · +7 more
- [● 17 SOURCES] Christa Pike has been discharged from the hospital and returned to the Debra K. Johnson Rehabilitation Center. majicatl.com · toronto.citynews.ca · www.wishtv.com · tvovermind.com · periodicoatico.com.ar · +12 more
- [● 25 SOURCES] The first 911 call regarding the emergency was made at 8:40 p.m. on September 30. offthepress.com · toronto.citynews.ca · www.wishtv.com · 6abc.com · abc13.com · +20 more
- [● 30 SOURCES] Pike was convicted for the 1995 murder of Colleen Slemmer. majicatl.com · toronto.citynews.ca · www.vg.no · periodicoatico.com.ar · www.mannheim24.de · +23 more
- [● 22 SOURCES] 911 recordings show a delay of approximately 30 minutes in emergency medical response. offthepress.com · toronto.citynews.ca · www.wishtv.com · pulptastic.com · internewscast.com · +16 more
- [● 17 SOURCES] Prison officials affirmed the emergency call was legitimate at 9:11 p.m. toronto.citynews.ca · www.wishtv.com · www.bangordailynews.com · offthepress.com · pulptastic.com · +11 more
- [● 8 SOURCES] The first emergency call regarding the incident was made at 8:40 p.m. on September 30. www.formosadeportiva.com.ar · www.rtl.de · www.pravda.sk · offthepress.com · pulptastic.com · +2 more
- [● 4 SOURCES] Pike's legal team suggests the pentobarbital may have spread under the skin rather than entering the bloodstream in sufficient quantities. www.formosadeportiva.com.ar · segundoasegundo.com · www.sozcu.com.tr · www.bbc.com
- [● 8 SOURCES] 911 recordings reveal a delay of approximately 30 minutes in emergency medical response following the botched execution. www.formosadeportiva.com.ar · www.rtl.de · www.pravda.sk · offthepress.com · pulptastic.com · +2 more
- [● 3 SOURCES] Christa Pike was convicted for the 1995 murder of Colleen Slemmer. www.formosadeportiva.com.ar · www.pravda.sk · n.com.do