Tennessee keeps death sentence on books after lethal injection failure

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee stated on Wednesday that Christa Pike’s death sentence remains in effect following her failed execution in September, unless the courts rule otherwise.

Pike was sentenced to death for the 1995 murder of Colleen Slemmer. During the execution attempt last month, she survived two doses of the lethal injection drug. The incident marked the second botched execution in Tennessee this year.

Lee addressed the question of whether the state will attempt the execution again or commute the sentence to life in prison. He noted that Pike is still incarcerated under the laws of the state of Tennessee. “I suspect her sentence will be the same as before unless determined otherwise by the courts,” Lee said.

Pike has returned to prison after spending days in the hospital. She is now able to speak in full sentences and walk on her own.

Lee has paused all executions through the end of the year to determine what went wrong during Pike’s attempt. Frank Strada, the commissioner of the Department of Correction, resigned following the incident. Lee said Strada will leave his post by the end of the month and that the governor expects to announce a replacement within the next few days.

The state’s next steps depend on the investigation into the failed procedure and any subsequent legal rulings regarding Pike’s status.