Christa Pike out of hospital and recovering in prison after botched Tennessee execution

Published October 10, 2026 12:52pm ET | Updated October 10, 2026 12:52pm ET



Christa Pike has been released from the hospital and is back in prison after surviving an execution attempt in Tennessee that left her unconscious and on a ventilator.

Pike is on death row for the premeditated torture and murder of a college classmate in 1995. The prisoner was set to be executed on Sept. 30, but the process went awry when she woke up following what was supposed to be two doses of a lethal injection. The botched execution sent Pike to a local hospital in Nashville, where she regained consciousness on Tuesday and began the process of walking again on Wednesday.

Trusted reporting.Unlimited access.

Subscribe for full access to Washington Examiner coverage, expert political analysis, and subscriber-only journalism.

Get Unlimited Access

Already a member? Log in

Cancel anytime.