Tennessee Republicans push to explore new execution methods after failed Christa Pike execution

Top Tennessee Republicans on Monday informed that following the failed execution of Christa Pike, they want to explore other alternative methods of executing condemned prisoners.

US Sen. Marsha Blackburn, the state's Republican candidate for governor, said unsuccessful executions of Pike last week “should not be grounds to halt carrying out the death penalty”. She added that instead Tennessee needs to reconsider how it conducts executions.

“If it’s lethal injection, if it is an electric chair, what we do know is we have to find a way to do this, and do it successfully,” Blackburn told AP.


Ahead of the 2027 legislative session, the top legislative leaders have already discussed about potential changes to the state's execution laws with Blackburn.

“We want to broaden it, include more methods," House Speaker Cameron Sexton said. "What those are as of today, I’m not sure. But I don’t think there’s any method that’s off the table at this point.”

According to the Death Penalty Information Center, the US states that allow executions use lethal injection as their primary method. However, South Carolina has electrocution as its default method, while Idaho's default is the firing squad. Whereas, few states allow prisoners to choose their method of execution.

Death by electricity or gas is authorised in nine states, including five that specify nitrogen gas, while five states authorise a firing squad, the centre said.

Florida uses a three-drug lethal injection that includes a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the heart.

Tennessee's execution procedures have been national news since Wednesday. Prison officials administered two doses of a barbiturate to Pike that were intended to be lethal but ultimately failed to kill her. Her lawyers have informed that Pike has been on a ventilator with blisters and burns on her arms from the drug.

50 years old Pike was sentenced to death for the 1995 torture and killing of her classmate, Colleen Slemmer. Pike was 18 at the time and later became one of the youngest women sent to death row.

Republican Gov. Bill Lee, whose term ends in January, halted the one remaining execution scheduled for this year and ordered an independent investigation into the state's capital punishment system following Pike's failed execution. He said Saturday that the commissioner of the Department of Correction will step down.

Blackburn warned that a comprehensive overhaul is needed. “It is personnel, processes, procedures, protocols that are all going to need to be addressed,” added Blackburn.

In case the Department of Correction is unable to carry out a lethal injection despite reasonable efforts, the Tennessee law permits electrocution.

State law also allows people who committed crimes before 1999 to choose electrocution.

Between 2018 and 2020, five Tennessee prisoners chose electrocution. The method could remain an option for about two dozen of the 40 people on death row.

Sexton said lawmakers could consider changing the law to allow the state to choose the method of execution.

House Majority Leader William Lamberth said he is open to making electrocution the state's primary method. However, regardless of the method, he said he does not want changes to take too long to implement.

“We want these sentences to be carried out effectively, efficiently and humanely," he said, adding: "Whatever we do, I do not want it to delay justice for these victims’ families.”

Republican state Sen. Todd Gardenhire, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he expects a deliberate review of what went wrong and what can be done to improve the execution process.

“I think the electric chair is the quickest and simplest way to do it,” he said.

(With AP inputs)