Failed US Execution: Death Row Inmate Survives Lethal Injection Attempt

Christa Pike, a 50-year-old death row inmate in Tennessee, survived a failed lethal injection execution attempt last week. Pike, who has been on death row since 1996 for the 1995 murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer, is currently hospitalized, with lawyers confirming she is conscious and able to communicate. The procedure failed because officials were unable to establish the necessary intravenous access, a recurring issue in US executions. This is the second failed execution attempt in Tennessee this year, following the stay of execution for Donnie Johnson. While 27 US states maintain the death penalty, public support has reached its lowest point in 50 years at 52 percent.