John Kiriakou

John Kiriakou is a former CIA analyst and counterterrorism operations officer, whistleblower, author, and journalist. He later served as a senior investigator for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and has commented publicly on national security and capital punishment.

Christa Pike Survived Tennessee’s Lethal-Injection Attempt After Two Doses

Christa Pike survived Tennessee’s lethal-injection attempt after receiving two doses of pentobarbital, but the available accounts do not establish why the injections failed. Former CIA officer John Kiriakou and Chris Williamson describe her case as distinct from earlier execution attempts halted before drugs could be delivered: the drugs were administered, yet Pike remained alive. Kiriakou’s account of the protocol’s effects raises a further question about whether lethal injection can be considered humane.

Chris WilliamsonOct 6, 20264 min read