Executions in Tennessee have been halted for the rest of the year, Governor Bill Lee has said, after two attempts to execute death row inmate Christa Pike by lethal injection failed.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Lee said he was “highly disappointed” about the botched execution, which he called one of the state’s “most serious responsibilities”. He has ordered an independent review.
Tennessee prison officials on Wednesday attempted to administer two lethal doses of pentobarbital to Pike but she survived and was taken to hospital. Her medical condition is unclear.
Pike, 50, was sentenced to death in 1996 for the murder of Colleen Slemmer.
Pike would have been the first woman to be executed in Tennessee for over 200 years.
Lee said on Thursday the investigation into Pike’s botched execution “will be thorough”, adding that “it’s going to take time”.
“There are a lot of questions,” Lee said. “The people of our state deserve to have those questions answered, and that’s what this investigation is for.”
Lee has not made clear who will conduct the independent review of the state’s execution procedures.
His order to pause all executions will overlap with the planned 3 December execution of convicted murderer Gary Sutton.
In court filings, Pike’s lawyers said she needed “life-saving measures” after her botched execution.
The Tennessee Department of Correction, which handled the execution, issued a statement defending its handling of the case.
It said in a statement that it “followed every step of the State’s lawful, established execution protocol approved by the attorney general’s office”.
“The lethal injection chemical in the protocol has consistently been effective, and the protocol does not allow for additional procedures beyond what was carried out this evening.”
Pike was given two doses of the chemical pentobarbital, as per state protocol when the first attempt fails, but was still alive afterwards, according to court filings.
“This execution is causing Ms Pike unnecessary agony and occurring in violation of his right to be executed free of cruel and unusual punishment,” her lawyers said.
The Tennessee attorney general’s office said in a statement that it agreed with the decision to call for an investigation, adding: “We need to know what happened.”
Pike’s attempted execution proceeded after multiple last-minute legal challenges by her lawyers had failed, overturned in the final hour by the US Supreme Court.
Slemmer’s mother May Martinez, who was among those who wanted the execution to take place and who travelled to Tennessee to witness it, told NBC News after the botched attempt that “it was a mess”.
US Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn, who is running for Tennessee governor, described the situation as “tragic”.
“While there should be a thorough review of what happened and why the process failed, the answer is simple: bring back the electric chair,” Blackburn said.
Democrat Jerri Green, Blackburn’s opponent, criticised her for wanting to “bring back one of the most cruel forms of capital punishment”.
“As governor, I would put a moratorium on all future executions,” Green said on X.
This is the second time in 2026 Tennessee officials attempted and failed to execute a prisoner.
In May, the execution of Tony Carruthers was called off after staff were unable to find a vein to administer a lethal drug. Carruthers was given a one-year reprieve.
With additional reporting by Stephanie Hegarty, World Service correspondent
