Pike's Survived 5g Dose Sparks Tennessee Execution Freeze After Hour-Long IV Chaos
A new legal filing details how a four-person team struggled for an hour to insert an IV into Christa Pike, citing a 24-gauge needle too small for the dose.
By Sarah Montgomery ·
Tennessee has suspended all executions while a review of the failed lethal injection of Christa Pike is completed.
Legal filings released on Thursday describe a nearly hour-long struggle by four medical staff to secure an IV line in Pike's arms on 30 September. The team used approximately 10 needles and reportedly worried that her veins had blown. Despite Pike grimacing and stating her arm was burning, the team proceeded with the injection. A dose of 5g pentobarbital, normally fatal, was administered.
The account was submitted by Randy Spivey, Pike's attorney. He detailed the timeline, noting that at 7:05 p.m., a staff member requested a 24-gauge needle. Joel Zivot, a professor of anesthesiology and surgery who provided expert testimony, stated that such a catheter is typically used for infants. He argued that it was physically impossible to push 50cc of drug through that small a catheter without damaging the vein. A team member confirmed the vein was blown at 7:07 p.m.
The team also attempted to locate a vein using ultrasound. Jonathan Groner, an emeritus professor of clinical surgery at Ohio State University, noted that mastering this technique requires extensive training and practice. He observed that the team did not use the equipment correctly. Saline was pushed through the line with difficulty at 7:23 p.m. One minute later, the team declared the IV ready and began the execution.
Pike was sentenced to death in 1995 for the murder of Colleen Slemmer. She survived the procedure and spent 10 days in a hospital, including several days on a ventilator. She has since returned to her prison cell and can currently talk and walk. Her lawyers had warned state officials before the execution that her veins were small and compromised.
Groner described the events as medical malpractice, stating that no clinician would administer a caustic drug through a line that did not flush easily. Zivot listed multiple failings, including a poorly written protocol and a lack of clear leadership. Both experts said the incident reveals systemic issues with lethal injection as an execution method.
The state has paused its execution schedule to allow for this review. Pike remains on death row while the legal proceedings continue.
