Christa Pike survived an attempt to execute her in Tennessee and is conscious, according to her lawyer, who said her ability to speak remains limited.
The attorney's account describes Pike's condition following the execution attempt. The statement about her ability to communicate is attributed to her lawyer, rather than a medical assessment.
Tennessee's execution system has a direct Nashville connection: The state carries out executions at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution, the state prison in northwest Nashville. The Tennessee Department of Correction oversees the institution and the state's execution procedures.