Tennessee execution of Christa Pike fails; inmate remains on ventilator

Christa Pike remains unconscious and on a ventilator in a Nashville hospital, four days after Tennessee's attempt to execute her failed, her lawyer said Sunday.

Pike, 50, survived two doses of pentobarbital on Wednesday night and has not regained consciousness since, according to Stephen Ferrell, an assistant federal defender representing her.

"She's still in the hospital, on a ventilator, critically ill, we really don't know the prognosis yet, and may not know for several days," Ferrell told CNN's "State of the Union."

Doctors are still trying to clear the barbiturate from her body, Ferrell said.

He said he has not seen Pike, who is under guard, and has been receiving updates through the person holding her medical power of attorney.

Lawyer says she suffered 'torturous' failed execution

Ferrell said he did not believe Pike had regained consciousness at any point since the execution attempt.

Pike's lawyers have said her arms were burned and blistered from the caustic drugs, and that she complained during the procedure that her arm felt like it was "about to burst open."

"We don't know right now - and we may never know - what sort of torture she endured during [her failed execution]," Ferrell said.

He called on Governor Bill Lee to commute Pike's death sentence to life in prison "at the very least."

State suspends executions, prison chief resigns

Lee has suspended all executions in Tennessee for the rest of the year and ordered an independent investigation into the state's capital punishment system, led by former U.S. Attorney Ed Stanton.

Tennessee Department of Correction Commissioner Frank Strada announced his resignation on Saturday.

Authorities have not said whether they will try again to execute Pike, or explained what went wrong.

Pike was convicted of murdering 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer in 1995, when Pike was 18, and sentenced to death the following year.

Slemmer's mother, May Martinez, who traveled to Nashville for the execution, told reporters after the failed attempt: "I didn't get justice for my daughter."

Pike's attorneys have asked a court to order prison officials to preserve all records, images, and video from the execution.

Ferrell said the state "has got to start telling its people exactly what it is doing" regarding executions.