Summary
- A US death row inmate has regained consciousness and is speaking after surviving a failed lethal injection, her lawyers said.
- She is believed to be the first person known to survive after a lethal drug was successfully injected during an attempted execution.
- Doctors advising her defence team said there are still major uncertainties about the amount of lethal drug that entered her bloodstream and its impact on her body.
A US death row inmate has regained consciousness and is speaking after surviving a failed lethal injection, her lawyers said.
The 50-year-old woman remains under critical medical care in a Tennessee hospital. She is reportedly handcuffed while receiving treatment.
She was scheduled to be executed last week but survived two attempts to administer the lethal injection. She was later taken to hospital and remained unconscious for several days as doctors worked to remove the drug from her body.
Her legal team said her condition has improved, although her long-term prognosis remains uncertain. They expect her recovery to be lengthy.
Medical and legal experts have described the case as highly unusual. She is believed to be the first person known to survive after a lethal drug was successfully injected during an attempted execution.
Authorities have not explained why the execution failed. They have also not announced whether another execution attempt will be scheduled.
The Tennessee governor suspended executions in the state for the remainder of the year following the incident. The state’s prisons chief has also announced plans to step down.
The inmate was sentenced to death for the 1995 murder of a 19-year-old woman. She was 18 at the time of the crime.
Doctors advising her defence team said there are still major uncertainties about the amount of lethal drug that entered her bloodstream and its impact on her body.
Her lawyers had previously warned that her medical condition and small veins could make intravenous access difficult and increase the risk of pain and complications. They said she has suffered serious injuries to her arms.
The case has renewed scrutiny of lethal injection procedures in the United States. Records show that several executions have faced serious problems, often because medical staff were unable to establish reliable access to a prisoner’s veins.
Her lawyers are due to appear in court and are expected to provide further details about her condition and the failed execution.
We welcome your contributions! Submit your blogs, opinion pieces, press releases, news story pitches, and news features to opinion@minutemirror.com.pk and minutemirrormail@gmail.com
