▲ U.S. death row inmate Christa Pike, who survived a lethal injection execution
In a botched execution in Tennessee, U.S., correctional authorities reportedly poked the inmate with a needle about 10 times after failing to find a suitable vein.
According to the Associated Press on the 22nd (local time), Randy Spivey, the attorney for death row inmate Christa Pike, stated that it took correctional authorities about an hour to secure intravenous (IV) lines on both arms of the inmate.
During the execution process on September 30, correctional authorities found a vein in Pike's right arm in just 6 minutes, but struggled to locate one in her left arm.
In the process, correctional authorities used about 10 needles on various parts of both arms, and Pike grimaced and complained of pain.
Correctional officials also examined Pike's left arm and expressed doubts about whether the IV line was properly secured, mentioning that a vein might have blown.
It was reported that a needle inserted into another site and then withdrawn was severely bent.
Correctional authorities eventually determined that they had secured a vein in the left arm and proceeded with the execution.
However, after the drug administration began, Pike complained of pain, saying her arm felt like it was going to explode and was burning.
Pike did not die even after receiving two doses of the lethal drug pentobarbital.
She was ultimately transferred to a hospital and regained consciousness about a week later.
Tennessee regulations stipulate that a second dose should be administered if the inmate does not die from the first, but do not outline procedures for cases where the inmate survives even after the second dose.
Pike was sentenced to death for murdering 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer along with her boyfriend in 1995 when she was 18 years old.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
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