Tennessee to execute a woman for first time in over 200 years - The W…

Tennessee Schedules Execution of Christa Pike for 1995 Murder of Colleen Slemmer

Tennessee plans to carry out the execution of Christa Pike on Wednesday for her role in the 1995 killing of Colleen Slemmer. Pike, convicted in 1996, would be the first woman executed by the state since the early 19th century if the sentence proceeds at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville.

Gov. Bill Lee rejected a clemency petition on Monday after review. “After deliberate consideration of Christa Gail Pike’s request for clemency, and after a thorough review of the case, I am upholding the sentence of the State of Tennessee and do not plan to intervene,” Lee stated.

In January 1995, Pike, then 18, along with her 17-year-old boyfriend Tadaryl Shipp and 18-year-old Shadolla Peterson, lured 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer to a wooded area behind a University of Tennessee steam plant. Court records show Slemmer was ordered to remove her clothing, then struck repeatedly with a piece of asphalt, slashed multiple times with a knife, and subjected to additional wounds including a pentagram carved into her chest. Pike later admitted to striking Slemmer in the head with asphalt, cutting her throat, and removing a piece of her skull. Shipp told the court he carved the pentagram. Slemmer died from the injuries.

Prosecutors presented evidence that the group had planned the attack in advance, citing Pike’s belief that Slemmer was interested in Shipp. The jury found two aggravating factors: that the murder involved an attempt to avoid detection and that it was especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel due to torture or serious physical abuse beyond what was necessary to cause death. Pike received a death sentence. Shipp, ineligible for capital punishment because of his age, was sentenced to life in prison and later became parole-eligible. Peterson testified for the state and received probation.

Pike has pursued appeals through state and federal courts. The Tennessee Supreme Court denied a stay last week. A separate petition remains pending before the U.S. Supreme Court. Pike’s attorneys have not commented publicly on the latest developments. Slemmer’s mother, May Martinez, has stated she and her husband intend to attend the execution and that she plans to hold a photograph of her daughter during the proceedings. Martinez told local media she has no words for Pike.

Pike’s clemency petition described a childhood that included sexual abuse between ages 2 and 5 by a relative’s boyfriend, a rape at age 11 by a neighbor who received no prison time after pleading no contest, and another assault at age 17 in North Carolina where the perpetrator was never identified. The petition also referenced evidence of maternal alcohol use during pregnancy and later diagnoses of bipolar disorder and other conditions. Attorneys argued these factors affected Pike’s decision-making at the time of the offense.

The petition further noted that Pike was one of only eight people sentenced to death in Tennessee’s modern era for offenses committed at age 18, and that the death sentences of the other seven, all men, have been vacated. It stated that adolescence extends into the mid-20s and that Tennessee does not execute offenders in that age range.

Letters submitted with the petition included statements from Pike’s mother, Carissa Hansen, who wrote that she now recognizes signs of abuse and mood issues she did not understand during Pike’s childhood. A fellow inmate, Laura Delfino, described changes in Pike’s behavior since her arrival on death row. Additional letters came from prison staff, a chaplain, and others who had contact with Pike.

A group of more than 100 organizations submitted a letter to the governor stating that the sexual violence Pike experienced does not excuse the crime but provides context for it. Amicus briefs filed in appellate courts on behalf of sexual trauma advocates argued that Pike’s original defense did not adequately present evidence of her background. A panel of U.N. human rights experts urged a halt to the execution, stating that the jury did not receive full information on Pike’s history of abuse and mental health conditions.

In August, a special master appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court held a three-day hearing on the execution protocol. Pike’s attorneys challenged the lethal injection process, citing a prior execution attempt involving another inmate and Pike’s reported blood disorder and small veins. They requested hanging as an alternative. The judge ruled that the state’s protocol did not violate constitutional standards and allowed the execution to proceed.

The Death Penalty Information Center has stated that Pike would be the first person executed in the modern era for a crime committed at age 18 and the 19th woman executed in the United States since 1976. Tennessee has not executed a woman since the 1800s.

Pike remains at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution. No further stays have been granted as of the latest court actions.