Christa Pike, who was sentenced to death, speaks about her condition after the failed execution

Christa Pike, a woman sentenced to death in the United States, has issued her first public statement since the failed execution in September: she reported constant physical and emotional pain. According to the BBC, Pike is believed to be the only person to have survived an attempted execution by lethal injection.

Otabek YusupovFirst published on tafs uz 30 October 2026 at 18:462 min read

The key facts

Christa Pike, 50, survived two injections of pentobarbital in September and was discharged from hospital at the end of September
According to the BBC, she is believed to be the only person to have survived an attempted execution by lethal injection
In her first statement she described constant pain and difficulty speaking; she has been returned to the prison where she has spent 30 years

First statement after the failed execution

Christa Pike, an American woman sentenced to death, has issued her first public statement since her failed execution in September. The statement was released by her legal team on social media, BBC News reports. 'There has not been a single moment since that night when I have not been in pain,' the statement says. Pike described pain in her arms, hands and throat, noting that she still finds it difficult to speak, and added: 'The pain is not only physical. There is pain in my mind and in my soul.'

What is known about the execution and Pike's condition

Pike, 50, was discharged from hospital at the end of September after surviving two injections of pentobarbital that left her in critical condition. After her discharge she was returned to the prison where she has spent the last 30 years for the murder of Colleen Slemmer in 1995. According to the BBC, Pike is believed to be the only person to have survived an attempted execution by lethal injection. 'I am recovering, and I know I am getting stronger,' she said. 'But healing is not the same as being okay.' This is a developing story: the BBC notes that further details will be added later, so many circumstances of the failed execution — including official explanations and possible legal consequences — remain unknown for now.