Christa Pike, who survived a botched execution attempt in Tennessee last month, has shown notable improvements in her condition, according to her legal representatives. The 50-year-old inmate, convicted of murder, was subjected to two doses of the lethal injection drug pentobarbital on September 30, but the execution did not result in her death, marking the first time a prisoner survived such a procedure in the state.

Since the incident, Pike has regained the ability to speak in full sentences and has demonstrated better mobility, including improved capacity to walk without assistance, one of her attorneys reported. Despite these positive developments, medical staff continue to monitor her closely for any cognitive or psychological effects stemming from the failed execution attempt.

Pike had been scheduled to become the first woman executed in Tennessee in two centuries, but the unprecedented failure of the lethal injection has raised questions about the state’s execution protocols. Following the failed attempt, she was promptly hospitalized and was awake and responsive within a week.

In the wake of the incident, Pike’s legal team has appealed to Governor Bill Lee to commute her death sentence. They argue that the botched execution constituted a form of punishment more severe than any other experienced under the American death penalty system. The request underscores ongoing debates about the administration of capital punishment and the potential risks involved in lethal injection procedures.