Christa Pike, a woman who survived a failed lethal injection in Tennessee, has spoken publicly for the first time about the physical and emotional suffering she says she has experienced since the execution attempt.
Pike, who was convicted in connection with the 1995 murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer, survived two doses of pentobarbital during an execution attempt last month.
Her lawyers said the medication may not have entered her bloodstream correctly, instead collecting in her arms and causing serious injuries.
In a statement released through her legal team, Pike described persistent pain, difficulty speaking and the emotional distress associated with waking up in hospital after believing she was going to die.
The incident has raised questions about Tennessee's execution procedures and the training provided to personnel responsible for administering lethal injections.
Governor Bill Lee has ordered an independent review of the failed execution and postponed another scheduled lethal injection in the state.
The case has also triggered renewed debate about the administration of capital punishment and the safeguards required to prevent procedural failures.
Pike remains under a death sentence while her lawyers seek a commutation to life imprisonment.
