Lawyer says Christa Pike could sue after 911 calls exposed sheer extent of shambles execution

People have been talking about the possibility of Christa Pike suing after her botched execution, and now, following the release of 911 transcripts, it’s looking like she could have grounds to do so, a lawyer said. 

Christa Pike somehow survived two doses of lethal injection at the end of September, which came more than 30 years after her graphic murder of teenager Colleen Slemmer. She was then rushed to the hospital, that is, once first responders managed to get into the prison in Tennessee. 

Newly released 911 transcripts exposed the confusion of the situation, with dispatchers unable to confirm the requirements for around 30 minutes. Upon phoning the prison’s central control, dispatch was told that no medical intervention was necessary. 

“Per supervisors here at the DEC (Department of Emergency Communications), we have been informed it is a false call,” one dispatcher said. “There is no medical assistance needed at Riverbend Prison.”

With the 30-minute response time paired with failed execution and a hospital stay, an attorney has argued that officials could be facing one hell of a lawsuit. 

Credit: WSMV

This lawyer believes Christa Pike could file a lawsuit 

Mike Working, a lawyer based out of Memphis who handles death penalty cases, spoke to FOX17 about the possibility of a lawsuit coming from Christa Pike and her legal team. 

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“If an attorney believes that there has been some negligence or error of the state that has caused the brain damage, that could maybe have a medical malpractice claim or some sort of civil rights violation claim,” he said. 

He further noted the extended wait time for medical attention, because “when you’re being deprived of oxygen, every second matters.”

All that could see the Tennessee Department of Correction and “other parties” named in a lawsuit, he argued. 

On the general chaos of that night, he added: “Because this is so foreseeable, it doesn’t make any sense to me why an ambulance isn’t already there inside at the facility.”

We’re yet to receive an update on Christa’s condition, but she is back in prison after being discharged. 

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Featured image credit: WSMV and Tennessee Department of Correction