Tennessee’s governor pauses capital punishment due to Christa Pike’s botched execution

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (CBS, KYMA) - Gov. Bill Lee (R-Tenn.) is pausing capital punishment for the rest of the year after the first execution of a woman in the state in 200 years went horribly wrong.

Christa Pike was sentenced to death for torturing and murdering her classmate in 1995 when she was just 18-years-old.

Attorneys said the now 50-year-old received two lethal injections Wednesday night, but survived.

Witnesses in the media viewing room described Pike to be visibly awake more than an hour after the drugs were administered.

Gov. Lee is calling for a thorough, outside investigation.

"It's a tragedy and it's deeply disturbing to me that that has happened in this state. The people deserve better than that and we're going to make sure that happens," Lee explained.

In a statement, state corrections officials said they followed Tennessee's "execution protocol."

This is the second botched execution in Tennessee this year.