Death row inmate who will face lethal injection speaks out after Christa Pike's botched execution

In the wake of Christa Pike's botched execution, focus has fallen on the next death row inmate set to meet his fate.

Although the state of Tennessee has paused any further executions after the 50-year-old killer survived, that isn't the case elsewhere, meaning that Jamaal Howard will receive the lethal injection later today (7 October).

At midnight, the 46-year-old is set to face the ultimate punishment for a murder he committed more than two decades ago - and according to his spiritual advisor, Howard is 'not worried'.

Howard has been housed at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in Huntsville since 2001, which is where he is set to take his last breaths in a matter of hours.

He was found guilty of killing Vickie Swartout, 42, after firing a fatal shot into her chest during an attempted robbery in 2000, when he was 20-years-old.

Howard was sentenced to death for the murder of Vickie Swartout (Texas Department of Criminal Justice)

The killer has been awaiting his fate on death row for more than two decades, despite his legal team arguing that he is intellectually disabled and an extensive history of mental health issues.

According to his spiritual advisor Reverend Jeff Hood, psychiatrists determined that Howard's IQ is in the the 65-70 range, while they described him as functioning at the level of an 11 or 12-year-old.

Hood has since spoken out about the conversation he had with Howard in regards to Pike's failed execution - and has explained that the gravity of the situation did 'not really register'.

He explained that he informed the death row inmate about what happened to Pike, telling him 'that the drugs didn't work and she was now in hospital'.

Like Pike, Howard is set to be injected with pentobarbital.

"I thought he would be upset, but I was wrong," Hood told Metro. "He told me, 'I am not worried, because the warden will just come and shoot me in the head', which is clearly not based in reality."

The 46-year-old doesn't comprehend what will happen to him in the execution chamber, his spiritual advisor said(Paul Harris/Getty Images)

According to Hood, Howard has mistaken him for his attorney, despite him donning a clerical collar.

The spiritual advisor also claims that when asked to discuss the 2000 murder, Howard states that his victim 'reached out and took the bullet from the gun, and put it in herself'.

Hood insists that Howard does not comprehend what is going to happen to him in the execution chamber, suggesting that the inmate believes the drugs administered during the lethal injection are similar to a recreational high.

"He really has no idea it will end his life," he went on.

"My worst fear is going into the chamber with him today, and him telling me he doesn’t know what’s going on."