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Christa Pike awake, talking after failed lethal injection, lawyers say

Adam Tamburin

Head-and-shoulders portrait of a woman with long curly brown hair, wearing a white shirt, looking slightly to the right, against a plain gray wall. — A 2002 photo of Christa Pike. Photo: courtesy of Pike's legal team

Tennessee death row inmate Christa Pike was conscious and talking Tuesday, her attorneys said, nearly a week after the state gave her two doses of lethal injection drugs that were meant to kill her.

The latest: Pike's attorneys said her prognosis following her "medically unprecedented" recovery is still unknown.

"At a minimum, we expect a long recovery," the legal team said in a statement.

Pike is still receiving critical care, and she is "handcuffed and shackled" to her hospital bed, they said.

What they're saying: "We are incredibly grateful to the first responders and the medical team at the hospital who treated Christa like a human and have provided exceptional care to her," Pike's attorneys said.

Catch up quick: Pike, who was sentenced to death for the 1995 murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer, was scheduled to be executed last Wednesday. But after two doses of the lethal injection drug potassium chloride, she was still breathing.

An ambulance took her from the prison to a nearby hospital for life-saving care.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee ordered an external investigation to determine what went wrong. He called off another execution scheduled for December.

What's next: Pike's attorneys plan to speak to reporters Wednesday morning following a court hearing related to her case.

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Christa Pike awake, talking after failed lethal injection, lawyers say

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