Tennessee corrections officials want a judge to let them keep quiet about where their lethal injection drugs come from.

An unnamed staffer with the Tennessee Department of Correction submitted a sworn declaration in Christa Pike's lawsuit over her failed execution.

The official says they handle buying the pentobarbital the state uses for death sentences. According to the filing the supplier has warned that it will stop selling the drug to Tennessee if its name is made public.

Fear of backlash

"I am aware of suppliers' concerns that disclosure of their identities will result in harassment, retaliation and retribution against the suppliers and/or the suppliers' employees," the official wrote.

The request lands about a month after Pike asked prison officials to hold on to evidence tied to the September 30 execution attempt.

She has also objected to being kept in solitary confinement. Since then she has asked to be moved into general population.

Survived the injection

Pike was condemned to death for killing Colleen Sleemer in 1995. She received two doses of pentobarbital yet lived through it.

She spent close to two weeks in the hospital before being returned to prison.