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Trying to execute Christa Pike again would push into uncharted legal territory, experts say (apnews.com)

submitted 2 days ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world

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After Christa Pike survived Tennessee’s failed attempt to execute her, the unsettled question of whether the state will try again could push Tennessee into uncharted legal territory, experts say.

Pike, 50, suffered burns and blisters to her arms and her prognosis remains uncertain after executioners tried to give her two lethal doses of pentobarbital, her legal team said Wednesday. She was sentenced to death for the 1995 beating and stabbing death of classmate Colleen Slemmer.

Although other states have moved forward with attempting to execute inmates a second time, in those cases, the first try had been halted before any drug actually began flowing.

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[-] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 16 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

apparently it might work, its already pretty cruel and unusual to execute her twice, but thrice? republicans have a hard on for executions.

[+] Babalugats@feddit.uk -17 points 1 day ago

Whatever about attempting to execute her again. I don't think that she should be released. Even if her memory is gone to a point, I wouldn't doubt that the evilness that allowed her to do what she did, is still there.

[-] DosDude@retrofed.com 14 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Yup. You are probably exactly the same person as you were when you were ~20. 30 years is a lot of time. And I don't think we, as armchair specialists, should be the ones who make these decisions. Leave that to the actual experts in the field.

A lot of countries have some sort of reintergration process for criminals with "life sentences" meaning they sat out 25 years and then have a reintergration process with specialists to prevent repeat offense. If they are unfit, they remain in prison until they are ready to be reintergrated.

It's not perfect, but it's way better than whatever the fuck is going on in the US.

[-] Babalugats@feddit.uk -1 points 1 day ago

And your opinion weighs just as much. Yet you seem to rate it higher, while pointing out 'armchair specialists shouldn't the ones to make the decisions'.

Not sure I have to point this out, but we aren't making the decisions. This is a discussion forum. Literally nothing else.

Pike and Shipp tortured Slemmer and bludgeoned her to death. Pike believed Slemmer was interested in her boyfriend, according to court documents.

"When Slemmer tried to flee, Pike sliced her stomach with the box cutter. ... As Slemmer begged for her life, Pike repeatedly kicked her in the face. Pike then cut Slemmer’s throat as she begged for mercy," the Tennessee Attorney General's Office wrote in court documents.

After Slemmer made one final attempt to escape, Pike smashed the back of her head with a rock, they wrote. Shipp also carved a pentagram into Slemmer's chest, and Pike later showed off a piece of Slemmer's skull to a friend.

in my opinion, she should not be released.

As for your comment:

You are probably the same person as you were when you were ~20

I'm not sure how old you think I am, but even if I wasn't the same person as "I was when I was 20" I would need to be polar opposite to change as much as you are suggesting she might have.

I don't wish her executed, but at the same time I couldn't give a fuck either way.

What she did deserves life in prison.

She will likely get released, so it doesn't really matter what I'm saying here.

this post was submitted on 08 Oct 2026

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