NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A woman on Tennessee's death row is fighting for her life in court, claiming the state's execution method could cause her to drown in her own blood.
Christa Pike is suing the state to halt her execution, arguing Tennessee's lethal injection protocol would constitute cruel and unusual punishment due to her rare blood cancer that affects how her blood clots.
Pike was convicted at age 18 in 1996 for torturing and killing a girl while they were both in a job training program for troubled teens. Now 30 years later, she's scheduled to die by lethal injection this September.
Pike suffers from a rare form of blood cancer, thrombocytosis, which causes dangerously high platelet levels. Her attorneys argue the state's single-drug protocol using pentobarbital would cause her to suffer excessive bleeding in her lungs during execution.
A medical expert in the case says Pike would essentially drown in her own blood, making her death far more painful than intended. Pike also has difficulty with needles due to small veins, which could complicate the execution process.
If successful, this would be the first time Tennessee has had to modify its execution protocol for an individual's medical condition. Pike's execution would also mark the first time Tennessee has put a woman to death in more than 200 years.
The court has not yet ruled on the lawsuit.
Watch the full report and get the latest updates on this developing legal challenge. Have more information about Tennessee's death penalty process or this case. Email Eric.Pointer@NewsChannel5.com to continue the conversation.
This story was reported by Eric Pointer and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Eric Pointer and our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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