Judge I’Ashea Myles has ordered Tennessee prison officials to preserve a wide range of evidence including syringes and IV lines used in last week’s botched execution of Christa Pike, who murdered her classmate in 1995.

The Davidson County Chancery Court in Nashville directed the officials to preserve the logbook, medical waste and everything that was used in the execution room on September 30.  

“Anything in the actual room needs to be preserved and maintained,” the judge said.

The order also applied to the prison correspondence, including messages exchanged between officials and electrocardiogram readouts documenting Ms Pike’s heart activity.

After surviving two lethal doses of pentobarbital, a drug used for executions, Ms Pike, 50, was hospitalised at a Nashville hospital where she was unconscious until Tuesday.

Her lawyer Randy Spivey said she woke up speaking, asking “where am I and who are you?” but was aware of the execution attempt.

Ms Pike is “angry and confused” and “very aware that the state tried to execute her”, Mr Spivey said, adding that she remained in a critical condition with swollen arms and unable to swallow food.

“Her hands looked like if you were to blow up a surgical glove,” he said.

Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn insisted the incident should not entirely halt justice, advocating for Ms Pike’s Swift execution.

“It should be done successfully,” Ms Blackburn, Republican nominee for Tennessee governor, stated. “Victims’ families should not have to wait decades for justice.”

Tennessee prison chief Frank Strada, who oversaw the failed execution, announced his resignation effective October ending following a backlash from citizens over the incident.