Tennessee execution of Christa Gail Pike halted by federal court: 5 things to know about ‘last-minute stay’
A federal appellate court issued a stay of execution on Wednesday morning, preventing the carrying out of the capital sentence against the sole female inmate on Tennessee's death row approximately one hour prior to the scheduled execution time.
The Sixth Circuit granted a last-minute stay of execution for Christa Pike, the sole female inmate on Tennessee's death row, to allow for a review of her legal arguments and ensure a fair resolution before the execution. (Reuters)The judges stated their intention to examine whether the defendant's claims regarding childhood sexual abuse and rape were comprehensively evaluated prior to the imposition of the capital sentence.
Before receiving notification on Monday regarding Lee's decision not to intervene in her case, Pike, 50, communicated in a correspondence addressed to NBC News, which was subsequently disseminated through her spiritual adviser “Whether my clemency is granted or not, I am at peace.”
“I am not afraid to die,” she wrote. “I’m only nervous about the process.”
If executed, Pike would represent the first female person in excess of two centuries whom the state has subjected to capital punishment, as documented in historical archives.
In 1996, she was convicted of the murder of Colleen Slemmer, a 19-year-old victim, whose death occurred on the University of Tennessee campus during the preceding year.
Pike collaborated with two accomplices—Tadaryl Shipp, 17, and Shadolla Peterson, 18—in orchestrating and executing the torture and homicide of Slemmer. This case subsequently became recognized as the Jobs Corps Murder, a designation derived from the fact that both Pike and Slemmer held membership in the Jobs Corps organization at the time of the offense.
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More
