Link: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/01/christa-pike-tennessee-governor-executions-year-pause

Lawyers for Pike filed an emergency motion to the Tennessee supreme court after the second pentobarbital dose was administered asking to halt and stay the execution, saying she was in “unnecessary agony”, and that the state was violating her right to be executed free of cruel and unusual punishment.

In a later statement, they said: “Tonight the State of Tennessee once again failed to carry out a lawful execution.

“We take no pleasure in being right, but the concerns raised by Ms Pike proved to be true: difficult vein access, blown veins, degraded pentobarbital, no emergency medical care available when things inevitably go wrong, all under a protocol that remains veiled in secrecy,” the statement said.

“Christa is being treated at a nearby hospital. We have not been informed as to her condition.”

I actually had to check to make sure you weren't a satire or snark account.

Holy shit, it failed? After her attorney fought like hell for her to avoid this exact scenario? Forcing her to relive the trauma of being repeatedly raped throughout her childhood?

What a shocker. This is disgusting.

I edited my comment; looks like a false positive.

That said, I´d rather err on the side of seeing racism than not seeing it. Looks like most people are much more comfortable NOT seeing it, either that or they are extremely informed on the state of Tennessee's execution program.

Also added this and then deleted the comment, because I think Iḿ actually quite wrong on this point:

[Edit 4: And, actually, what makes this unusual is more that she is a woman. Of the 47 people executed in the US last year, they were ALL men, and, more significantly for this comment 55% white.]

I personally think the part you were the most wrong about was dehumanizing the woman based upon her race, and suggesting "we" should do the same.

I am not a fan of this murderer, but with decades of delays and untold millions wasted on her death penalty, it's time to allow her to serve life in prison without fear of an execution. Even the most fervent death penalty supporters should be able to admit that this has been a colossal bungle; if you can't manage to kill her TWICE, it's time to let it go.

Side note: Tennessee is a perfect example of the decline of America. Absolutely full of strip malls and churches, and the most obese population that I've personally ever seen in my long life. How are all of these churches able to keep their doors open? There's something rotten in Tennessee.

“Your honor, my sentence was carried out. Now you have to let me go.”

It failed twice, it's inhumane

[Edit: Thinking about it, I can definitely see how I came across as callous. I'm spiralling into defensiveness and I don't think that's helpful. So, apologies to y'all.]

I seem to remember something about a failed execution being considered an "Act of God", and the person subject of this to be pardoned at least from further executions. Is that still valid?

i vaguely recall that happening with a man who was set to be hanged. one rope broke and another stretched until his feet were touching the ground. after 2 or 3 tries they gave up and said it was divine intervention.

only source on that is my spotty memory

Despite claims, execution has never been about making it painless, or being just. It's about exacting revenge, pure and simple, and the suffering, as always, is the point.

Wow. The worst possible outcome. Incompetence and Evil Complete. Trump will be jealous.

Medical professionals are not allowed to do lethal injections due to the Hippocratic oath.

No company wants to have their product be associated with executions.

These two facts combine into the reality that lethal injections are by definition carried out by untrained morons using whatever they managed to find on some sketchy website.

There was another article that mentioned they actually administered 7 doses and couldnt finish the job. Tennessee everyone...