Tennessee death row inmate Christa Pike survives lethal execution attempt

Christa Pike, convicted of murdering a schoolmate three decades ago, survived Tennessee's effort to execute her by ‌means of lethal injection late on Wednesday, prison officials said, ‌foiling the state's first attempt to put a woman to death in two centuries. Pike's condition following the ordeal was not immediately made known, and ⁠it ​was not ⁠clear precisely what would happen after she had been taken by ambulance ⁠away from the Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville, the state ​capital.

"The Tennessee Department of Correction followed every step of the ⁠state’s lawful, established execution protocol approved by the Attorney General’s Office," the ⁠agency ​said in a statement. "The lethal injection chemical in the protocol has consistently been effective, and the protocol does not ⁠allow for additional procedures beyond what was carried out this evening. Christa ⁠Pike has ⁠been transported to an off-site medical facility," the statement concluded.