The United States Supreme Court has cleared the way for the execution of Christa Pike, a 50‑year‑old inmate on Tennessee’s death row. The high court’s decision overturned a last‑minute stay that had been granted by a lower court, allowing the state to proceed with the lethal‑injection sentence that has been pending since 1996.
Background of the Case
Pike was convicted in 1996 for the murder of Colleen Slemmer and has remained on death row for more than three decades. She is the only woman in Tennessee to have been sentenced to death. The execution was originally scheduled for Wednesday, but judges from a lower court paused the proceedings after a stay was granted.
Supreme Court Action
Justice Brett Kavanaugh issued an order to vacate the stay, effectively removing the temporary reprieve. The court’s ruling allows the state to resume the execution process, which is to be carried out by lethal injection.
Executive Response
The Tennessee governor declined to halt the execution or grant clemency. With the Supreme Court’s decision, the state is now permitted to move forward with the execution of its lone woman on death row.