Death row killer Christa Pike has been rushed back to hospital following her botched lethal injection execution, claiming prison conditions now put her life in extreme danger.
The 50-year-old survived two massive doses of pentobarbital in October after Tennessee authorities attempted to execute her for the horrific 1995 murder of Colleen Slemmer. The lethal cocktail failed to kill her, leaving her arms severely burned and blistered.
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After waking from a coma on a ventilator, Pike was sent back behind bars, but she has now submitted a legal declaration detailing fresh health horrors.
In papers obtained by PEOPLE, Pike revealed she had already “returned to the hospital emergency room once” following her return to custody.
Pike claims guards are forcing her to perform tasks carrying a “high risk of infection and further injury”, including scrubbing a “roach-infested shower.” She is pleading not to be returned to her previous high-security housing pod alongside volatile offenders, insisting her weakened state leaves her completely defenceless.
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Warning of the mortal danger she faces, Pike stated: “This pod houses inmates with significant histories of assaults and disciplinary problems. In my two years living in this pod after entering into the settlement, I witnessed multiple assaults by close custody inmates of other inmates and guards, multiple individuals who were undergoing acute psychological breakdowns, and significant danger.”
Terrified of being targeted while recovering from the ordeal, she added: “I could not defend myself or get away if another inmate attacked me. I am afraid that I will be seriously hurt if I am moved to that pod while I am this weak.”
The botched procedure came under fresh fire after legal filings revealed execution teams were specifically told not to practice inserting IV lines.
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State Governor Bill Lee has paused upcoming executions while investigations continue, but indicated Pike’s ultimate punishment remains unchanged: “I suspect her sentence will be the same as before unless determined otherwise by the courts.”
The Mirror