What to know as Tennessee plans to execute first woman in 200 years
Summary
Tennessee plans to execute Christa Pike, the only woman on its death row, by lethal injection, making her the first woman executed in the state in 200 years. Pike has been jailed since 1995 for the murder of her former classmate, Colleen Slemmer, a crime committed when Pike was 18 years old.Key Facts
- Christa Pike, now 50, was convicted of murdering Colleen Slemmer in 1995 at age 18.
- The murder involved torture and lasted 30 minutes to an hour, with Slemmer suffering severe injuries including cuts and beatings.
- Pike's boyfriend and a friend helped in the attack; the boyfriend was not sentenced to death due to being a minor at the time.
- Tennessee Governor Bill Lee denied Pike's clemency petition, allowing the execution to proceed.
- International groups, including the United Nations, urged the governor to commute the sentence, citing Pike’s history of childhood abuse, mental illness, and time spent in isolation on death row.
- Pike's legal team said she has changed, receiving treatment for mental illness and supporting other women in prison.
- Pike expressed remorse and acknowledged the harm caused by her actions.
- This will be the first execution of a woman in Tennessee in two centuries.
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