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European Jewish News · Oct 6, 2026

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US: Tennessee death-row inmate Christa Pike, 50, is conscious and speaking nearly a week after surviving a failed execution in which she was given two doses of the lethal injection drug pentobarbital but continued breathing, her lawyers say. Pike, sentenced to death for the 1995 torture and murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer, remains handcuffed in hospital while receiving critical medical care. Her lawyers described her recovery as “medically unprecedented”, saying she is the only person known to have survived a completed US execution attempt and that they expect “a long recovery”. Authorities have not said what went wrong or whether they will attempt to execute Pike again. Join EJN:

US: Tennessee death-row inmate Christa Pike, 50, is conscious and speaking nearly a week after surviving a failed execution in which she was given two doses of the lethal injection drug pentobarbital but continued breathing, her lawyers say. Pike, sentenced to death for the 1995 torture and murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer, remains handcuffed in hospital while receiving critical medical care. Her lawyers described her recovery as “medically unprecedented”, saying she is the only person known to have survived a completed US execution attempt and that they expect “a long recovery”. Authorities have not said what went wrong or whether they will attempt to execute Pike again. Join EJN: https://wa.me/447443160130?text=Hi!%20I%20would%20like%20to%20subscribe%20to%20the%20EJN.%20My%20name%20is:%20

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