Christa Pike Says She Is Recovering One Month After Botched Execution
The statement marks Pike's first public comments since her failed execution at a Tennessee prison.
By Aiko Sato ·
Christa Pike is recovering from her botched execution, according to a statement released by her attorneys on Friday. The statement, her first public remarks in one month, details the physical and emotional toll of the failed procedure.
Pike dictated the message to her legal team. She is currently staying in the infirmary at the Debra K. Johnson Rehabilitation Center in Nashville, Tennessee.
In the statement, Pike described her condition on the day of the scheduled execution. She said she walked into the execution chamber at Riverbend men's prison prepared to die and had made her peace. She told loved ones and witnesses that she was leaving them in loving kindness.
However, Pike said she awoke days later confused and in pain. She listed her symptoms, noting that her body, arms, hands, and throat hurt. She also said she still struggles to speak.
"And the pain isn't just physical. There is pain in my mind and in my soul," Pike said. She expressed that she had not contemplated life beyond the night of the execution.
Pike said she was deeply hurt by the incompetence that put so many people in this terrible position. The statement does not provide further details on her medical status or upcoming plans.
