Ahead of rare execution, lone woman on Tennessee death row says ‘I am at peace’

Key Points:

• Christa Pike, Tennessee’s lone female death row inmate, is scheduled for execution by lethal injection on Wednesday, marking the first female execution in the state in over 200 years; she expressed peace about dying but nervousness about the execution process.
• Pike was convicted for the 1995 torture and murder of Colleen Slemmer, a crime tied to occult symbolism, but her defense argues that her traumatic childhood abuse and mental health issues were not presented at trial and could have influenced sentencing.
• Pike’s lawyers have appealed to the Supreme Court to halt the execution, citing her PTSD and the psychological suffering expected from the lethal injection protocol, but the state maintains there is insufficient evidence that the execution method would cause undue harm.
• The case highlights disparities in sentencing, as Pike received the death penalty while her teenage accomplices received lesser sentences, and underscores evolving scientific understanding of adolescent brain development and trauma.
• Pike’s spiritual adviser and prison officials are preparing accommodations for her execution, including an all-female execution team and spiritual support, while the victim’s mother remains resolute that justice will be served through Pike’s execution.