![Christa Pike Speaks Out After Surviving Execution](https://cdn.slatesource.com/e/6/2/e62fb03f-d21a-41c0-ace2-f6efabbf6c7c.webp)

# Christa Pike Speaks Out After Surviving Execution

- [Made in Slatesource](https://slatesource.com/@steph/christa-pike-speaks-out-after-surviving-execution)
- By [Steph](https://slatesource.com/@steph)
- Created on Oct 30, 2026

> I am recovering, and I know that I am getting stronger. But healing is not the same as being okay.
>
> — cnn.com

From the crime to the statement01.01.1995 – 30.10.2026 13:07

01.01.1995Colleen Slemmer killed in Knoxville; Pike, 18, charged with first-degree murder

01.01.1995

01.02.1996Pike convicted and sentenced to death -- the only woman on Tennessee's death row

01.02.1996

28.09.2026Governor Bill Lee denies clemency request

28.09.2026

30.09.2026First execution attempt fails; two pentobarbital doses do not cause death

30.09.2026

30.09.2026Pike hospitalised, placed on ventilator; attorneys feared brain death

30.09.2026

03.10.2026Tennessee corrections commissioner Frank Strada resigns

03.10.2026

03.10.2026Lee places moratorium on all state executions through year-end

03.10.2026

07.10.2026Court orders evidence preserved; Pike awake and speaking

07.10.2026

10.10.2026Pike discharged from hospital, transferred to Debra K. Johnson Rehabilitation Center

10.10.2026

29.10.2026Governor Lee says he suspects sentence will remain the same

29.10.2026

30.10.2026 13:07Pike's first public statement released through attorneys

30.10.2026 13:07

[deathpenaltyinfo.org](https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/tag/christa-pike?utm_source=slatesource)

**30** Days since the failed execution

[nbcnews.com](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/christa-pike-says-pain-mind-soul-one-month-failed-execution-rcna606457?utm_source=slatesource)

## What she said

Pike dictated the statement from the prison infirmary. Key lines: "Several days later I woke up alone in a hospital confused and in pain. I had not contemplated life beyond that night." She described ongoing physical pain in her arms, hands, and throat, adding: "And the pain isn't just physical. There is pain in my mind and in my soul." She acknowledged her victim's family: "I continue to think about my victim's family and the terrible pain and loss they have endured."

## What is not yet known

Tennessee has not announced a new execution date. The Governor's investigation into the failed injection is ongoing. No court has yet ruled on whether a second attempt would be constitutional. Pike's attorneys are seeking commutation to life without parole; Lee has not indicated he will grant it.

What happens next

0%

Correction Dept. investigation into Sept. 30 failure concludes (no deadline set)

Governor appoints new Department of Correction commissioner

Courts rule on constitutionality of a second execution attempt

Moratorium on executions expires 31 Dec 2026

Dec. 3 execution of Gary Wayne Sutton on hold pending review

Attorney petition for commutation remains with the Governor

Sources: CNN (13:19 UTC), NBC News, ABC News, TMZ (first pub 13:07 UTC), WKRN Nashville, Death Penalty Information Center, AP/CBS News. Statement delivered by Pike through attorneys Randy Spivey and others at Tennessee Office of the Post-Conviction Defender. Last updated 14:00 UTC 30 Oct 2026.

[cnn.com](https://www.cnn.com/2026/10/30/us/christa-pike-case-first-statement?utm_source=slatesource)