First woman to be executed in US state in over 200 years faces setback days before death sentence
Warning: This article contains discussion of violence, child abuse and sexual assault which some readers may find distressing
The Tennessee Supreme Court has declined to stay the execution of the only woman on the state's death row.
Christa Pike's execution, via lethal injection, is scheduled for September 30. If the execution is carried out, it will make her the first woman to be executed in Tennessee for over 200 years.
The 50-year-old has been on death row for the best part of three decades after being found guilty of murdering 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer in Knoxville in 1995.
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Her legal team has been working to prevent the execution from going ahead, with her lawyers having filed for clemency with a 226-page document.
However, on Wednesday, September 23, the Tennessee Supreme Court denied a request to stay the execution.
As per WATE 6 On Your Side, the Supreme Court issued a ruling denying her petition. The petition argued that the lethal injection protocol would violate Eighth Amendment protections against cruel and unusual punishment.
It came after Pike's legal team said she has a condition that would make the lethal injection unnecessarily painful for the 50-year-old.
However, the outlet reports that judges agreed that Pike's lawyers had not established that her thrombocytosis would complicate the administration of the injection in a way that would violate Eighth Amendment.
“We are deeply disappointed in the Tennessee Supreme Court’s decision, but we will press forward, seeking relief from the U.S. Supreme Court while also continuing our request that Governor Lee grant Christa clemency," a statement from Stephen Ferrell from the Federal Defender Services of Eastern Tennessee and Kelly Gleason from the Tennessee Office of the Post-Conviction Defender said.
They also added that Pike, who was 18 years old at the time she committed the crime, 'had endured a childhood of sexual abuse' and 'suffered from serious undiagnosed mental illness.'
They added: "She was sentenced before we understood what we know today about adolescent brain development and the profound effects of childhood trauma."
Part of the statement said: "Today, 30 years later, Christa is a stable, deeply remorseful woman who understands the terrible harm caused by her actions."
Pike's team have also requested that only female corrections staff should be present in the death chamber during her execution. The 50-year-old has a reported history of sexual abuse at the hands of men, and is said to be 'terrified' at the thought of being pinned down on the gurney by men.
She will be transported by female corrections officers to Riverbend Maximum Security Institution no earlier than 24 hours before the execution, and as per the outlet, the state have said 'they will make efforts to assign only female staff to observe her'.
The state has not guaranteed that all staff involved will be women.
In an interview during the documentary, Dead Woman Walking: Pike Vs Tennessee, Pike said: “I’ve always felt bad for her mother, that I took someone’s child, someone’s sister, someone’s friend away.
“I feel remarkably remorseful for what I did.”
Her boyfriend at the time, Tadaryl Shipp, was also convicted for the murder. However, as he was 17 years old at the time, he was ineligible for a death sentence. He received a life sentence with the possibility of parole.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues or want to speak to someone in confidence regarding the welfare of a child, the Childhelp USA National Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and receives calls from throughout the United States, Canada, US Virgin Islands, Guam and Puerto Rico.
Kiesha Dosanjh