Tennessee Death Penalty: Expert Panel Details Malpractice in Failed Injection

Tennessee has suspended all executions following a detailed review of the failed lethal injection of inmate Christa Pike. Medical experts now describe the procedure as a case of malpractice, citing a chaotic one-hour struggle to secure an intravenous line. The state halted operations after new legal documents revealed the specific errors made by the execution team.

Pike was sentenced to death for the 1995 murder of her classmate, Colleen Slemmer. On September 30, prison officials attempted to carry out her execution. Her attorney, Randy Spivey, filed a chronology of the event on Thursday. The account describes four unidentified members of the IV team working for nearly 60 minutes to set up the line for the sedative.

The team used approximately 10 needles during the procedure. Spivey's filing notes that the staff repeatedly poked Pike's arms without securing a working line. At several points, the team expressed concern that her veins had blown. Pike grimaced during the process and reported that her arm was really burning.

Jonathan Groner, an emeritus professor of clinical surgery at Ohio State University, analyzed the timeline. He stated that the conduct described would be considered medical malpractice in any other setting. Groner noted that the sequence of events showed a lack of leadership and a missing plan. He described the incompetence as shocking and difficult to comprehend.

Joel Zivot, a professor of anesthesiology and surgery in Atlanta, provided expert testimony before the execution. He pointed out that the team requested a 24-gauge needle at 7:05 p.m. Zivot explained that this size of catheter is typically used for infants. Under the state protocol, 50cc of pentobarbital was to be injected into each arm. Zivot said there was no way to push that volume through such a small catheter without damaging the vein. A team member confirmed the vein was blown at 7:07 p.m.

The team also attempted to locate a vein using ultrasound. Groner stated that this technique requires hours of specialist training and up to 20 procedures to perform smoothly. The account suggests the team did not know how to use the equipment. At 7:23 p.m., saline was pushed through the line with difficulty. One minute later, the team declared the IV ready and began the execution.

Pike's lawyers had warned the state about her small and compromised veins prior to the attempt. They relied on Zivot's opinion that the protocol was poorly written and that the team lacked clear command. Zivot listed the failings as a poorly written protocol, no one in charge, unauthorized technology, and catheters that were too small. He argued that the team pressed on when they should have stopped.

After the failed injection, Pike spent 10 days in a hospital. She required a ventilator for several days, and her lawyers initially believed she was brain-dead. She has since returned to her prison cell and can now talk and walk. The state has paused its death penalty operations while a review of the procedure takes place.