Convicted murderer Christa Pike is reportedly "angry and confused" after surviving a botched execution attempt last week in Tennessee, according to her legal team. Pike, 50, who was sentenced to death for the 1995 murder of Colleen Slemmer, survived two lethal injections on September 30, her lawyers stated at a news conference.

Experts and Pike's legal team describe her apparent recovery as unprecedented, noting that no other inmate in the United States is known to have survived a lethal injection. Pike was taken to a hospital after the execution attempt and remained unconscious for days while medical staff worked to clear the injected chemical from her system.

During a news conference, lawyer Randy Spivey recounted Pike's first words upon regaining consciousness: "Where am I? and Who are you?" He described her as polite and kind to the execution team before the injection, even assisting them in finding a vein. She subsequently woke up in a hospital with a tube down her throat, surrounded by unfamiliar people.

Pike's legal team initially believed she was brain-dead and expected her to be taken off life support. However, she began to speak on Tuesday, recalling only limited details of the execution. Her lawyers reported that both of her arms are now "tremendously swollen," and she is experiencing a blood clot in one arm, pneumonia, and difficulty swallowing.

On Wednesday, Pike's lawyers appeared before a judge for an emergency hearing, requesting that all evidence related to the failed execution be preserved. This preservation could potentially form the basis for a future lawsuit against the state. Lawyer Luke Ihnen informed Judge Chancellor I'Ashea Myles that their client was unconscious and unable to communicate until the previous day but is now speaking limitedly.

Tennessee Assistant Attorney General Will Ayers acknowledged the "unusual procedural position" but argued that an emergency motion was unnecessary as the state is already obligated to preserve evidence. Nevertheless, Judge Myles ordered the preservation of all materials from the execution room, including IV lines, syringes, and waste packaging, as well as documentation of Pike's psychological state before, during, and after the event.

Pike is believed to be the only person in the U.S. to have survived an execution attempt by lethal injection. The state has been ordered to preserve all evidence, and Pike continues to receive critical medical care while restrained in her hospital bed.

The long-term impact of the ordeal on Pike's mental health remains unknown, according to Spivey. The legal team is focused on gathering evidence that could support future legal challenges regarding the execution attempt.