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Christa Pike ‘angry, confused’ and unable to move arms after failed execution, lawyers say (www.theguardian.com)
submitted 1 day ago by to c/health@lemmy.world
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Attorneys say Pike was set to be taken off life support before she woke up, as judge orders officials to preserve evidence

Christa Pike awoke “angry and confused” after surviving two lethal injections, her attorneys said on Wednesday, as a judge ordered Tennessee state officials to preserve all evidence related to the failed execution.

Pike, 50, was taken to hospital unconscious but alive from Tennessee’s execution chamber last Wednesday after two supposedly lethal doses of the barbiturate pentobarbital.

She was declared brain dead on Monday, her attorneys said, and her team was informed of plans to remove her from life support the next day. “But on Tuesday, to the shock of everyone … Christa woke up and began talking,” Randy Spivey, one of her lawyers, said at a press conference on Wednesday. He was told her first words were “Where am I?” and “Who are you?”

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[–] 9 points 18 hours ago (6 children)

My one misunderstanding of this is that we now allow euthanasia for people who are absolutely going to die from chronic illness in some states. They are provided a mixture of stuff to put you to sleep and then stop the heart. If this is something that is excepted and works well with possibly minimal pain then why is it not used as a replacement to this clearly awful way of being put down? We even continue to try and find better ways, but I never see that one talked about.

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  • [–] 9 points 11 hours ago (2 children)

    It's because judicially approved murder is extremely unpopular in educated and competent circles.

    Meaning anyone willing to take part in the affair is most likely wholly undercompetent to try.

    Not only are the vast majority of doctors and nurses personally against it, but even the few that aren't won't do it because the medical associations would have a hell of a time revoking the executioner's licence.

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  • [–] 2 points 11 hours ago (1 child)

    Thanks for the insight. I was just going off of a few documentaries ive seen years ago that followed a few people that went through the process. I dont remember who it was that helped, but they did seem knowledgeable and able to provide this kit that basically assisted with terminating their life. It all seemed pretty peaceful compared to what they do for executions so it just didnt really make sense to me as to what they used.

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  • [–] 1 point 2 hours ago

    Okay, there might be a misunderstanding so I'd just like to check.

    Judicial murder is this death penalty exacution stuff. Someone does something bad and a judge tells them he'll have them killed off for it.

    Voluntary euthanasia is different. It's where the person themselves wants to end their own life.

    Medical ethics say "do no harm" among some otger thigs as well, and the modern interpretation is that a doctor can help with voluntary euthanasia in certain cases. Usually there's a government-mandated checklist to decide there's less "harm" in helping the person leave this world behind that there would beto let them suffer in their chronic ailments. And this is only for some places (jurisdictions). Adoption of voluntary euthanasia is pretty slowgoing.

    Medical associations in the US specifically do not want anything to do with executions. They bar their members from taking part in them. The main argument is that the people on "death row" are healthy and taking part in their killing goes against the "do no harm" doctrine.

    However, nothing can truly stop a determined medical professional from taking part in an execution. The "only" consequebce of doing so is losing their licence at the medical association (if registered). Since registration and membership are needed to be able to work in the field, there's a huge financial incentive against it.

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  • [–] 12 points 16 hours ago (2 children)

    Medical professionals typically refuse to have anything to do with executions. It kinda goes against the Hippocratic oath.

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  • [–] 2 points 16 hours ago

    Only about half of doctors take the oath at all, and there are many, many modern versions tailored to their individual goals and beliefs.

    While the majority want nothing to do with the entire field of "justice", it's easy enough to find someone that really wants to be part of it.

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