Christa Pike now walking after US execution went wrong, lawyer says

In their previous updates on Pike’s condition after the attempted execution, her team had said she was awake and speaking, and experiencing anger and confusion. She was said at that stage to be handcuffed to her bed.

Her lawyer Randy Spivey said after Wednesday’s court hearing: “She cannot move either of her arms.” He added: “Both of her arms and hands are tremendously swollen, and we do not know what if any function she will regain in her arms.”

In the later updates, given on Wednesday to the BBC, Ferrell said Pike was continuing to experience the after-effects of the drug pentobarbital.

The drug was injected into her body in two doses by prison staff during the scheduled execution on 30 September. But once it became clear that Pike was not going to die from the execution attempt, she was taken to hospital, where she was initially unconscious and declared to be in a critical condition.

As of late on Wednesday, though, Pike was “fairly well”, Ferrell said.

“What’s been described to me is that physically there’s quite a bit going on, that her arms are very injured and she’s not able to use them very much.”

Of her physical movements, Ferrell added: “She is up and walking for the first time today, but just around the room, not very far.”

Turning to her mental state, he said: “I think it’s kind of good and bad. Good that she is fairly with it, but she’s also somewhat foggy. She can lose her train of thought really easily and forgets where she’s going.”

Ferrell said much remained unknown about what happens next. “I assume [the situation for Pike] will keep improving, but there could be some permanent damage. We don’t know that yet.”

He added that the team wanted Pike to receive psychological support, since that “clearly is necessary now”.