The Tennessee Supreme Court has announced execution dates for four inmates, including Christa Pike, the only woman on death row in the state. Pike, who was sentenced to death at 18 for the brutal murder of Colleen Slemmer in 1995, committed the crime alongside her then-boyfriend, Tadaryl Shipp. Slemmer, also 18, was fatally beaten and stabbed by the couple on the University of Tennessee’s Agricultural campus, where they infamously carved a pentagram into her chest. Shipp has been sentenced to life imprisonment, while Pike’s conviction includes an additional 25 years for an attempted murder of a fellow inmate during a prison altercation.
Pike’s legal team has argued for her sentence to be commuted, citing her youth and alleged mental health issues at the time of her crime. Her attorneys have highlighted a history of childhood abuse and undiagnosed conditions, including bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. They assert that with time and treatment, Pike has shown remorse for her actions.
Tennessee resumed executions in May after a three-year hiatus caused by issues related to the testing of lethal injection drugs, which were found not to have been adequately assessed for purity. An independent review disclosed that none of the drugs used in the past executions had undergone full testing, a fact acknowledged by the state Attorney General’s Office.
Concerns over the state’s execution procedures persist, particularly following the execution of Byron Black, who reportedly experienced intense suffering as he lay on the gurney. His autopsy revealed pulmonary edema, which his lawyers claim resulted in a sensation akin to drowning. Federal public defender Kelley Henry represents several death row inmates and has vowed to pursue transparency regarding these issues before further executions proceed.
In addition to Pike, execution dates have also been set for Tony Carruthers, Gary Sutton, and Anthony Hines. The forthcoming executions have raised heightened scrutiny regarding Tennessee’s death penalty practices and the treatment of inmates on death row.