NASHVILLE, TN (WOKI /WVLT) – Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti’s office says a thorough investigation is necessary following the failed execution attempt of death row inmate Christa Gail Pike, an incident that has prompted statewide scrutiny of Tennessee’s execution procedures.
In a statement released Friday, Skrmetti’s office voiced support for Governor Bill Lee’s decision to order an independent review.
“The Governor has appropriately called for an investigation,” the Attorney General’s Office said. “We need to know what happened.”
The comments came after Tennessee’s attempt to execute Pike on Sept. 30 did not proceed as planned. According to Pike’s attorneys, she received two doses of pentobarbital, the drug used in Tennessee’s lethal injection protocol, but remained alive following the procedure.
Pike was later transported from Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville to a hospital for medical treatment.
Governor Orders Independent Review
In response to the incident, Governor Lee ordered a comprehensive third-party review to determine what occurred during the execution attempt and whether state protocols were properly followed.
The governor also suspended Tennessee’s remaining scheduled executions for 2026 pending the outcome of the investigation.
Former U.S. Attorney Ed Stanton has been selected to lead the independent review. Investigators are expected to examine all aspects of the procedure, including protocol compliance, medical involvement, and execution team actions.
The review marks the latest chapter in an ongoing debate over Tennessee’s lethal injection procedures, which have faced previous scrutiny following complications in other execution attempts.
Questions Surround Execution Protocol
The failed execution has generated significant questions regarding Tennessee’s lethal injection process.
Attorneys representing Pike have alleged problems involving intravenous access and administration of the execution drugs. They have also filed legal actions seeking preservation of evidence connected to the execution attempt.
Meanwhile, the Tennessee Department of Correction has maintained that personnel followed the state’s established execution protocol.
The findings of the independent review are expected to play a key role in determining whether changes to the state’s execution procedures are necessary before future executions can resume.
Background on the Case
Pike was sentenced to death for the 1995 torture and murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer in Knoxville. The crime became one of Tennessee’s most notorious murder cases and resulted in Pike becoming the only woman currently on Tennessee’s death row.
Had the execution been completed, Pike would have been the first woman executed by Tennessee in more than 200 years.
The failed execution has since sparked reactions from lawmakers, legal advocates, victim’s family members, and criminal justice organizations, all calling for answers about what occurred during the procedure.
For now, the state awaits the results of the independent investigation as officials attempt to determine why Tennessee was unable to carry out the court-ordered sentence.
