911 calls from night of botched Christa Pike execution released

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The Nashville Department of Emergency Communications has released the 911 calls made from Riverbend Maximum Security Institution on Sept. 30, the night of the botched execution of Christa Pike.

A total of 10 calls were made from 8:46 p.m. to 9:11 p.m. on Sept. 30 between Nashville’s emergency dispatchers and other agencies or individuals involved.

The first call DEC received from the prison was made at 8:40 p.m. After a legal review, Metro Legal determined the audio from that call is exempt from public disclosure under Tennessee Code Annotated § 10-7-504(h).

“We’ve been carrying out an execution tonight,” the caller from Riverbend Maximum Security Institution told a Metro dispatcher. “We’ve administered 10 grams of pentobarbital. The person is not yet deceased. That started approximately one hour ago, and we’re calling for an ambulance.”

“I don’t know,” the caller said when asked whether Pike was having chest pain. “The person is not conscious.”

The seventh call made throughout the night was at 8:59 p.m. from DEC to the Tennessee Department of Correction Central Control after much confusion.

“Central control,” a TDOC Central Control employee said.

“Hey, this is Metro 911 calling back,” a Metro dispatcher replied. “Is there a supervisor that I can speak with? My supervisor is having me do this. We have first responders that are standing by and everything. We’re just trying to verify.”

“So, did no one answer at the number I sent you?” the TDOC employee asked.

“No, they did not,” the dispatcher replied.

“OK, give me one moment. Let me see if I can get them,” the TDOC employee said.

The DEC dispatcher was put on hold for 50 seconds before the prison came back online.

“I’m being told that nobody from our facility called you, so there’s not really anything to speak of at this moment,” the TDOC employee said.

“What’s going on is my client, Christa Gail Pike, is undergoing a state execution,” she said. “She has completed the stages of the protocol, and last we knew from the attorneys present, she is still alive and breathing and needs immediate life saving care.”

In the final call, which was made from DEC to the Tennessee Highway Patrol at 9:11 p.m., a dispatcher requested a THP trooper or Metro Nashville police officer go to the gate of the prison in order for first responders to make entry into the prison. First responders could not enter the prison initially because they lacked an access code, which the TDOC employee from the first dispatch call did not have.

Minutes later, around 9:15 p.m., witnesses exited the prison and spoke with news outlets saying Pike had survived the execution after receiving two doses of pentobarbital. She was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment shortly after.