How could these idiots bugger this up so badly, this is one of the reasons I am against the death penalty. This form of punishment is inherently cruel and inhumane, it is not the job of the state to kill people. This is what we tend to see from less evolved societies where they have public executions on a Friday in some middle eastern countries.
Christa Pike was a troubled woman, there is no denying that. She had an alcoholic mother who exposed her to alcohol in the womb. Pike was sexually assaulted as a toddler, as well at age 11 and age 17. It was clear she was neglected by her alcoholic parents, so there were mitigating circumstances. For myself, this does not excuse what she did to Colleen Slemmer in 1995, her murder was premeditated and brutal. What Pike did to Slemmer was inexcusable, she deserves life in prison with no chance of parole.
Pike was not well behaved in prison, she attempted to murder an inmate in 2001, and also attempted to escape in 2012. The escape plan was poorly conceived, and included the assistance of a corrections officer. Prison authorities learned of the escape planning and launched an investigation, the prison escape plan was not considered imminent when thwarted. So this was not a sophisticated escape attempt, what it does show is she was trouble in prison too.
Christa Pike was given the death sentence and this was eventually conducted on the 30th of September 2026 after all avenues of appeal were extinguished. I am trying to work out how they botched it up so badly. Pike was strapped to the gurney with a cannula already in her arm when the blinds for the witnesses were opened at 7:26 PM. She had entered the room at 6:41 PM and prison officials had spent over an hour attempting to establish an IV line. Apparently at least seven needles had been used to no effect.
At 7:30 Pike made her final statement, I will not publish that as I believe that is just a rant with little to redeem her statement. The drugs were administered at this time, according to accounts, Pike then complained of pain in her arm at 7:34, and then kicked off her sheet at 7:39. According to accounts, a sign [of some sorts] was displayed to indicate the drugs had been administered at 7:41 PM with the blinds closing at 7:46 PM. According to processes, if the person remains alive after 5 minutes, a second round of drugs is to be administered.
The blinds were reopened at 8:05 PM and Pike was seen to be moving and squirming on the gurney. Her attorney could still hear her breathing and requested permission to contact the rest of her legal team. According to reports, her attorney then reached a telephone at 8:22 PM and attempted to contact the Tennessee Supreme Court and Governor’s Office who did not pick up. So a member of the legal team was dispatched and she drove to the Tennessee Supreme Court where an emergency motion was put forward to stay her execution and provide emergency care.
The Tennessee Supreme Court had a brief hearing beginning at 8:50 PM, witnesses were led out of the prison at 8:53 PM where they reported to waiting media hearing Pike snoring. Tennessee Supreme Court hearing ended at 9:05 PM as the judges noted Pike had already been hospitalised, so the hearing was now mute. Pike was rushed to hospital and placed on a ventilator, she was unconscious, intubated and breathing via an incubator. It was reported both arms were swollen and burned.
The medical team considered her brian dead and even prepared to remove Pike from life support. The next day Pike regained consciousness and spoke asking “Where am I, and who are you?” Pike was well aware the state had tried to execute her who remained shackled to her bed. She was later allowed to get up and move around her room. I was at work and had been following this case via the news media. I was reading the BBC as they tend to be less biased. I was certainly not going to follow US news media for this case.
So what happens now, at time of writing Pike is being held in hospital where I would expect her to remain for a reasonable time. The Tennessee Governor has ordered a full investigation, halting the next execution scheduled for early December. The Tennessee Department of Correction Commissioner has rendered his resignation, this is scheduled for the end of the month and has not taken effect yet. However, he should be the first of many to be forced out, there should be a large-scale purge of officials connected to this mess.
