Americans Divided Over Death Penalty After Christa Pike Execution Fails

Christa Pike, sentenced to death for the 1995 murder of Colleen Slemmer, survived two lethal injections on 30 September – a rare and unprecedented failure. The incident has reignited the debate over capital punishment in the United States. BBC journalists surveyed a mix of American residents and foreign visitors in Washington, D.C. to gauge public opinion on the death penalty. Responses ranged from outright opposition to staunch support, reflecting deep divisions across the country.