Brief
History of botched US executions highlighted after Christa Pike survives lethal injection
Christa Pike's failed lethal injection adds to a century‑long pattern of botched executions in the United States.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Christa Pike became the first death‑row inmate to survive a lethal injection, joining a grim list of botched U.S. executions, according to a New York Post feature.
The article notes that roughly 3% of all U.S. executions between 1890 and 2010 were botched, based on data from the Death Penalty Information Center. The highest number of failures involved hangings – 85 cases – including the 1901 execution of outlaw Tom “Black Jack” Ketchum, whose head reportedly popped off when the rope slipped.
Electrocutions rank second, with several incidents of condemned inmates’ heads catching fire. In 1990, Florida cop‑killer Jesse Tafaro’s head ignited after operators used a non‑conductive sponge under his head cap, creating a short‑circuit. A later Florida case in 1997 saw Pedro Medina’s head burst into flames, requiring a prison official to douse the fire and open a window for ventilation.
Lethal injection, promoted as a humane method, recorded 75 botched attempts by 2010, according to the same source. The piece also references recent botched attempts in Alabama and Tennessee, including Pike’s own failed execution.
Key facts
- Christa Pike survived a lethal injection attempt on Oct. 1, 2026. (nypost.com)
- Approximately 3% of U.S. executions from 1890‑2010 were botched. (nypost.com)
- 85 hangings failed, the most common type of botched execution. (nypost.com)
- Lethal injection had 75 botched attempts by 2010. (nypost.com)
Sources
- [1] nypost.com — originally reported as “The bloody history of botched executions — including cop-killer whose head exploded — after Christa Pike survived”
