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Ongoing story / Christa Pike

Christa Pike's failed execution and Tennessee's halt to executions

Overview · reviewed November 12, 2026

On September 30, 2026, Tennessee tried to execute Christa Gail Pike, who would have been the first woman the state put to death in more than 200 years, and she survived two lethal injections.[1][2] Gov. Bill Lee halted the state's executions and ordered an independent review, led by former Ed Stanton,[1][3] and the head of the state's prison system said he would resign.[2] Pike was hospitalized in critical condition and returned to prison in October.[4][5] In a statement released by her lawyers, she said she remained in constant pain, and Lee said her death sentence was expected to stand unless a court changed it.[6][7]

Read the timeline

Follow this story to see new developments when you return.

Gov. Bill Lee halted the state's executions and ordered an independent review, led by former Ed Stanton,[1][3] and the head of the state's prison system said he would resign.[2] Pike was hospitalized in critical condition and returned to prison in October.[4][5] In a statement released by her lawyers, she said she remained in constant pain, and Lee said her death sentence was expected to stand unless a court changed it.[6][7]

Coverage over time

Share of tracked outlets · weekly (UTC)

Week of 2025-09-29 (UTC): 3%, 7 of 202 tracked outlets (1 left, 2 center, 4 right)Week of 2025-10-06 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-10-13 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-10-20 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-10-27 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-11-03 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-11-10 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-11-17 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-11-24 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-12-01 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-12-08 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-12-15 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-12-22 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-12-29 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-01-05 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-01-12 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-01-19 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-01-26 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-02-02 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-02-09 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-02-16 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-02-23 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-03-02 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-03-09 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-03-16 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-03-23 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-03-30 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-04-06 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-04-13 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-04-20 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-04-27 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-05-04 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-05-11 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-05-18 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-05-25 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-06-01 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-06-08 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-06-15 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-06-22 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-06-29 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-07-06 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-07-13 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-07-20 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-07-27 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-08-03 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-08-10 (UTC): under 1%, 1 of 545 tracked outlets (0 left, 1 center, 0 right)Week of 2026-08-17 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-08-24 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-08-31 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-09-07 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-09-14 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-09-21 (UTC): 2%, 8 of 479 tracked outlets (2 left, 3 center, 3 right)Week of 2026-09-28 (UTC): 23%, 108 of 476 tracked outlets (31 left, 49 center, 28 right)Week of 2026-10-05 (UTC): 19%, 92 of 479 tracked outlets (25 left, 44 center, 23 right)Week of 2026-10-12 (UTC): 10%, 46 of 476 tracked outlets (10 left, 27 center, 9 right)Week of 2026-10-19 (UTC): 7%, 32 of 479 tracked outlets (7 left, 19 center, 6 right)Week of 2026-10-26 (UTC): 12%, 55 of 473 tracked outlets (13 left, 28 center, 14 right)Week of 2026-11-02 (UTC): under 1%, 2 of 471 tracked outlets (0 left, 2 center, 0 right)Week of 2026-11-09 (UTC): 3%, 14 of 470 tracked outlets (3 left, 8 center, 3 right), so far

LeftCenterRight

Each bar is the share of the outlets on our Left / Center / Right rating scale that we tracked publishing that week which carried reporting on this story, split by the outlets' ratings.We track more outlets now than in the archive, so a share keeps earlier and later weeks comparable. An outlet counts once a week however much it published, and outlets in one ownership or syndication group count as one on each side they appear on. A rating describes the outlet, not the report. A gap means no such reports were collected that week, not that nothing was reported anywhere. Weeks run Monday to Sunday in UTC, so a report published on a Sunday evening in US Eastern time counts in the next week. 5 more outlets off the scale (not rated, or outside the left-right graphs) also reported; they are not in this chart. See them.

Weekly counts, outlets and reports (10 weeks with coverage)
Outlets on the rating scale that carried this story each week, of the outlets tracked that week, newest first
Week of (UTC)LeftCenterRightOf trackedShareReceipts
Nov 9, 2026 (so far)38314 of 4703%
Nov 2, 20260202 of 471under 1%
Oct 26, 202613281455 of 47312%
Oct 19, 2026719632 of 4797%
Oct 12, 20261027946 of 47610%
Oct 5, 202625442392 of 47919%
Sep 28, 2026314928108 of 47623%
Sep 21, 20262338 of 4792%
Aug 10, 20260101 of 545under 1%
Sep 29, 20251247 of 2023%

Latest coverage

The newest reporting in this story's record.

  1. Nov 9, 2026 · first reported · Headline from WREG Memphis

    TN AG seeks to block inspection of Christa Pike's lethal injection drugs

Background

Christa Pike was sentenced to death in 1996 for the January 1995 murder of Colleen Slemmer, a 19-year-old classmate, in Knoxville.[1][8] Slemmer's mother remembered her daughter as easygoing, often smiling and eager to help other students.[8] Ahead of Pike's execution date, her lawyers challenged the constitutionality of Tennessee's lethal injection process and asked that hanging be considered as an alternative method.[9] Her court hearing ended in August, the same week the state executed Darrell Hines,[10] and Lee said he would not intervene on her clemency petition.[1]

Read the full background (3 more paragraphs)

On the morning of the execution, a federal appeals court stayed it just over an hour before it was scheduled, after witnesses had gathered at the Nashville prison. The state asked the U.S. Supreme Court to lift the stay, and the Court allowed the execution to go forward. The lethal injection was halted for hours while the courts considered the appeal, and in the end officials were unable to put Pike to death. The next day she was unconscious, intubated and on a ventilator in a Nashville hospital, her lawyers said.[1] The drug used, pentobarbital, had come under past scrutiny: the Justice Department stopped federal executions with it during the Biden administration after a review raised concerns about "unnecessary pain and suffering."[11]

Sen. Marsha Blackburn, the Republican nominee for governor, called on Tennessee to bring back the electric chair, saying the botched process was extending the pain for Slemmer's family.[4] On October 3, Lee announced that Corrections Commissioner Frank Strada would resign; Strada said stepping aside was "in the best interests" of the state while the review determined why the execution failed.[2] Lee named Stanton to lead it.[3] On October 10, Pike's attorneys said she had been discharged from a hospital and moved back to prison.[5]

Dispatch recordings reviewed by The Associated Press showed that emergency help for Pike after the failed execution was delayed by confusion among first responders and prison officials.[12] A survey released in October found that 33% of respondents thought a second attempt should follow the failed execution,[13] and reports said Tennessee could consider the firing squad, which advocates warned against.[14] Court filings from Pike's lawyers later said they had warned before the execution that her veins might be "blown," and one of her attorneys said the IV team went through about 10 needles.[15] By late October, medical staff said she was talking in sentences again.[16] In a statement released by her attorneys on October 30, Pike said she was recovering but in constant pain.[6] Lee said her death sentence was expected to remain in place unless a court changed it,[7] and he named Christopher Hansen interim commissioner of the Department of Correction.[17] In November, a judge allowed death row inmates to expand their lawsuit challenging Tennessee's execution protocol,[18] and the state sought to block Pike's lawyers from examining the pentobarbital used in her execution, arguing that it would reveal the supplier in violation of state law.[19]

Supporting stories (19)
  1. How Christa Pike could still face execution again after botched attempts: experts
  2. Tennessee’s prisons chief is resigning after failed execution of Christa Pike
  3. Christa Pike, who survived an execution attempt, is discharged from hospital, attorney says
  4. ‘Bring back the electric chair,’ Tennessee GOP candidate urges after botched execution
  5. Christa Pike Death Penalty in Question After Shocking Execution Survival
  6. Christa Pike says she remains in constant pain after botched execution in Tennessee
  7. Tennessee Gov. Lee signals woman who survived lethal injection will still face death penalty
  8. Before TN executes Christa Pike, Colleen Slemmer’s mother remembers her daughter
  9. Could Christa Pike be executed by hanging? What Tennessee law allows
  10. Christa Pike: What to know about Tennessee's next scheduled execution
  11. Drug used in failed execution has come under past scrutiny
  12. 911 calls reveal delays in assistance after Christa Pike execution attempt
  13. 33% say second attempt should follow failed execution: Survey
  14. Tennessee could consider firing squad following botched Christa Pike execution; Advocates warn against method
  15. Attorneys warned of 'blown' veins prior to Christa Pike's botched execution, court filings say
  16. Pike talking in sentences after botched Tennessee execution
  17. Gov. Lee names interim TDOC commissioner following botched executions
  18. Legal battle intensifies over Tennessee's execution protocol
  19. Tennessee seeks to block Pike’s attorneys from lethal injection drug probe

The full record

Each date is when an update was first reported.

All 29 recorded updates

November 2026

  1. Tennessee seeks to block Pike’s attorneys from lethal injection drug probeHeadline from Arkansas Democrat-Gazette · 14 outlets
  2. Legal battle intensifies over Tennessee's execution protocolHeadline from WREG Memphis · 2 outlets

October 2026

  1. Gov. Lee names interim TDOC commissioner following botched executionsHeadline from WKRN Nashville · 1 outlet
  2. Christa Pike says she remains in constant pain after botched execution in TennesseeHeadline from Phl17 · 57 outlets
  3. Tennessee Gov. Lee signals woman who survived lethal injection will still face death penaltyHeadline from Just the News · 2 outlets
  4. Attorneys warned of 'blown' veins prior to Christa Pike's botched execution, court filings sayHeadline from Phl17 · 19 outlets
  5. Pike talking in sentences after botched Tennessee executionHeadline from AL.com · 5 outlets
  6. From death row to a botched execution and back: A timeline of Christa Pike’s caseHeadline from ABC 17 Mid-Missouri · 8 outlets
  7. 33% say second attempt should follow failed execution: SurveyHeadline from Phl17 · 7 outlets
  8. Tennessee could consider firing squad following botched Christa Pike execution; Advocates warn against methodHeadline from WKRN Nashville · 1 outlet
  9. 911 calls after Christa Pike's failed execution: What falls under TN Public Records Act, FOIA?Headline from WATE Knoxville · 1 outlet
  10. Attorneys warned of difficulty accessing Christa Pike’s veins: ReportHeadline from News Nation Now · 3 outlets
  11. 911 calls reveal delays in assistance after Christa Pike execution attemptHeadline from Phl17 · 29 outlets
  12. 911 calls reveal how confusion delayed help for Christa Pike after failed executionHeadline from NBC Los Angeles · 2 outlets
  13. Christa Pike Death Penalty in Question After Shocking Execution SurvivalHeadline from Charisma Magazine Online · 30 outlets
  14. Colleen Slemmer, murdered by Christa Pike, remembered as a ‘computer geek’ with a nurturing heartHeadline from KION Central Coast · 8 outlets
  15. Christa Pike remains hospitalized under armed guard in NashvilleHeadline from WKRN Nashville · 1 outlet
  16. Christa Pike, who survived an execution attempt, is discharged from hospital, attorney saysHeadline from NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth · 96 outlets
  17. Tennessee’s prisons chief is resigning after failed execution of Christa PikeHeadline from Triblive · 53 outlets
  18. Drug used in failed execution has come under past scrutinyHeadline from Phl17 · 7 outlets

September 2026

  1. ‘Bring back the electric chair,’ Tennessee GOP candidate urges after botched executionHeadline from Baptist News Global · 4 outlets
  2. Before TN executes Christa Pike, Colleen Slemmer’s mother remembers her daughterHeadline from WATE Knoxville · 1 outlet
  3. How Christa Pike could still face execution again after botched attempts: expertsHeadline from New York Post · 111 outlets
  4. Lethal injection by all-female team slated for Tennessee’s 1st woman death row inmate in 200 yearsHeadline from New York Post · 2 outlets
  5. A Tennessee death row case is drawing attention for a last-minute requestHeadline from MLive · 5 outlets

Coverage & sources

Read the reports, see how much was collected over time, or compare outlets by political leaning.

Coverage & sources →