Tennessee orders probe after Christa Pike survives 2 lethal injections
Tennessee is in the spotlight after a botched attempt to execute Christa Pike, who survived two lethal injection doses and is now on a ventilator.
The failed execution led Gov. Bill Lee to order an investigation, especially since the prison commissioner stepped down.
Former US attorney Ed Stanton will head the probe to see if proper procedures were followed.
Lawsuits follow Tennessee pentobarbital switch
This isn't Tennessee's first troubled execution: the state halted executions for the remainder of 2022.
After earlier issues with drug testing, the state switched to a new single-dose pentobarbital method in 2025.
But that change sparked lawsuits from Tennessee death row inmates, who cited concerns that the protocol amounted to a constitutional violation, and activists are questioning why Tennessee still uses a drug even the federal government dropped for being too harsh.