In a botched execution in the U.S. state of Tennessee, corrections officials reportedly poked the death row inmate with a needle about 10 times after failing to find a suitable vein.
According to the Associated Press, Randy Spivey, the attorney for death row inmate Christa Pike, stated that it took corrections officials about an hour to secure intravenous (IV) lines on both of the inmate's arms.
During the execution process on September 30, officials found a vein in Pike's right arm within six minutes, but struggled to locate one in her left arm.
In the process, corrections officials used approximately 10 needles across multiple spots on both arms, while Pike winced and complained of pain.
Officials also examined her left arm, remarking that "the vein might have blown," expressing doubt over whether the IV line had been properly secured.
It was reported that a needle inserted into another site and subsequently removed was severely bent.
Ultimately, corrections officials proceeded with the execution after concluding they had secured a vein in the left arm.
However, after the lethal injection began, Pike cried out in pain, saying, "My arm feels like it's going to burst" and "It's burning."
Pike did not die even after being administered two doses of the lethal drug pentobarbital.
She was eventually transported to a hospital and regained consciousness about a week later.
Tennessee regulations dictate that a second dose be administered if the first does not result in death, but the rules do not outline procedures for cases where the inmate survives 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.
Reported by Jung Da-eun | Video by Lee Da-in | Graphics by Lee Su-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
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