Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Woman On Tennessee Death Row Survives Two Lethal Injections
The New York Times: Tennessee Death Row Inmate Christa Pike Still Alive After Attempts To Execute Her, Lawyers Say
Christa Pike, a Tennessee woman convicted of murder, survived two doses of lethal injection on Wednesday night before state officials suspended the execution and had her taken to a hospital for medical care, her lawyers said. It was the second botched execution in the state this year. It was not immediately clear what her medical condition was. ... “This event is the worst we’ve seen and unlike any other botched execution in the modern era,” said Robin Maher, the executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center. “There is no precedent.” (Cochrane and Marimow, 10/1)
USA Today: Tennessee Governor Orders Investigation Into Christa Pike Failed Execution
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said shortly before midnight that he ordered an investigation into what went wrong and has postponed the state's one remaining execution scheduled for this year, that of convicted killer Gary Wayne Sutton on Dec. 3. ... State corrections officials put out a late-evening statement: "The protocol does not allow for additional procedures beyond what was carried out this evening." (Myers and Fiscus, 10/1)
