Tennessee moves to prevent Christa Pike’s attorneys from examining drug used in failed execution

November 10, 2026 / 7:51 PM EST / CBS/AP

Tennessee is seeking to block Christa Pike's attorneys from accessing the lethal injection drug used in her failed execution on the grounds that it would reveal the supplier in violation of state law, court filings show.

The request follows a judge's order to preserve evidence in a lawsuit filed by Pike's attorneys and reflects the secrecy surrounding execution drugs, which states often argue is necessary to protect access to the drugs and the safety of suppliers.

Pike, 50, survived two doses of pentobarbital in September, which her attorneys say probably did not enter her bloodstream correctly and instead pooled in her arms, leaving them burned and blistered. The state has said it is complying with a broader order by Judge I'Ashea L. Myles requiring the preservation of evidence.

But in a Friday court filing, the state asked the judge to rescind the part of her order allowing Pike's legal team to inspect, collect and test any leftover pentobarbital from the execution attempt.

In an affidavit cited in the state's filing, a Tennessee Department of Correction employee said the drug supplier would become identifiable if Pike's legal team is allowed to handle…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/