911 recordings show reality of situation at Christa Pike's failed execution
Audio recordings from the night of Christa Pike's botched execution have shed more light on the confusion of the emergency services that were stuck outside the prison for a time.
Pike, 50, was due to be executed on 30 September with an injection of two doses of pentobarbital, but it became clear that the lethal injection had failed to kill her and an ambulance had to be called to take her to hospital.
Recordings of the 911 calls showed that the Department of Emergency Communications (DEC) said they'd been informed that they'd been told of a 'false call' and nobody was in need of help at the prison.
Advert
The first emergency call had been made at 8:40pm, by 9:01pm the DEC were saying they'd been informed it was false, but a few minutes later a responder called to say they were outside the prison and someone was telling them it was the real deal after all.
RadarOnline reports that a prison official denied calling 911, with an audio recording saying 'I'm being told that nobody from our facility called you so there is not really anything to speak of at the moment'.
A prison official responded to questions as to why there were responders waiting outside the prison attempting to work out whether they were supposed to go inside, saying 'we didn't call anybody, I would have been the one to call you guys'.
Pike's attorney, Kelly Gleason, was also making calls around that time and explained that the death row inmate was 'still alive and breathing and needs immediate life-saving care' after her botched execution.
It wasn't until 9:11pm that prison officials managed to confirm that the reason for the call was valid, with Pike finally taken to hospital at 9:34pm almost an hour after the first emergency call had been made.
A paramedic told the operator to be sure the prison knew they were taking her 'because there’s been so much other confusion'.
Since being taken to hospital Pike has somewhat recovered from her botched execution and is now back in prison.
Her lawyers have launched action over her conditions, arguing that since she is being kept in the prison infirmary without an end date or access to other prisoners it violates a prior agreement over her incarceration.
She has also issued a statement saying that she is in pain after surviving her execution.
She said: "There hasn't been a moment since that night when I haven't been in pain. My body hurts. My arms hurt. My hands hurt. My throat hurts.
"I still struggle to speak. And the pain isn't just physical. There is pain in my mind and in my soul.
"I had not contemplated life beyond that night, and I'm deeply hurt by the incompetence that has put so many people in this terrible position. I continue to think about my victim's family and the terrible pain and loss they have endured."
LADbible Group have contacted the Tennessee Department of Corrections for comment.
Joe Harker
