Pike’s legal team filed an emergency motion to halt the execution and request medical care, which District Judge Clifton L. Corker granted, noting that medical personnel had begun treatment.
Dr. Joel Zivot, an Emory University School of Medicine professor retained by Pike’s attorneys, said it is possible Pike never reached a high enough blood concentration of pentobarbital to cause fatal apnea or cardiovascular failure, and that the delay before resuscitation began could result in brain injury.
The Tennessee Department of Correction has defended its handling of the execution. A spokesperson told The Tennessean that the department followed every step of the protocol approved by the Attorney General’s Office, adding that the lethal injection chemical “has consistently been effective” and that the protocol does not allow for additional procedures beyond what was carried out.
