Video Tennessee execution fails after botched lethal injection attempts A Tennessee execution fails after multiple botched lethal injection attempts on an inmate who survives the ordeal. Steve Harrigan reports on the failed attempts and the governor's decision to halt future executions.
A high-profile execution attempt in Nashville ended in chaos and raised urgent medical questions after Tennessee death row inmate Christa Gail Pike survived two separate doses of lethal pentobarbital, the Associated Press reported.
Pentobarbital is a short-acting barbiturate, according to medical authorities at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Historically prescribed as a sedative, anti-seizure medication or sleep aid, pentobarbital enhances the activity of GABA, the brain's primary inhibitory neurotransmitter, slowing activity throughout the central nervous system.
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In clinical medicine, pentobarbital has been used for several purposes, including the following.
Christa Gail Pike is seen during her trial for the murder of Colleen A. Slemmer on March 18, 1996, in Knox County Criminal Court. (USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect)
Because newer, safer drugs with lower risks of overdose have largely replaced barbiturates in hospital settings, pentobarbital is now rarely used in routine patient care.
However, it remains a primary agent in veterinary euthanasia and lethal injection protocols across several U.S. states, according to the National Library of Medicine, FDA-approved veterinary drug labeling and the Death Penalty Information Center.
In a high-dose lethal injection protocol, pentobarbital is administered intravenously in large, ultra-lethal quantities — typically 2.5 to 5 grams (far exceeding clinical therapeutic doses).
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When injected directly into a vein, the progression follows three stages, according to medical sources.
Pike, 50, who was convicted in the 1995 murder of classmate Colleen Slemmer, was slated to become the first woman executed in Tennessee in more than 200 years.
Media witnesses and defense filings reported that Pike remained conscious and vocal, experienced breathing difficulties, and snored loudly for over 40 minutes after receiving the drug. (Tennessee Department of Correction via AP)
Media witnesses observed her asking if her arm was supposed to feel that way (burning), breathing raggedly, and audibly snoring behind closed curtains over an hour-long span.
The incident prompted Tennessee Governor Bill Lee to halt all remaining executions in the state pending an independent investigation.
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According to statements from the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC), officials administered two doses of pentobarbital, in accordance with the state's established single-drug execution protocol.
State officials maintained that they strictly adhered to the protocol and that the chemical supply was verified.
According to the NIH and Cleveland Clinic, pentobarbital is a short-acting barbiturate used medically as a central nervous system depressant to treat severe seizures and induce medically managed comas. (iStock)
Media witnesses and defense court filings described several problems during the procedure.
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Several possible explanations have been raised in court filings and medical literature, although no cause has been confirmed in Pike’s case.
Medical experts point out that if an IV line slips out of the vein, pentobarbital leaks into surrounding muscle and fat, absorbing too slowly to reach the brain at a lethal concentration. (iStock)
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As state officials investigate the failed execution, Pike remains under medical observation while legal challenges continue over whether Tennessee may legally attempt a second execution, per reports.
Khloe Quill is a lifestyle writer with Fox News Digital. She and the lifestyle team cover a range of story topics including food and drink, travel, and health.
