Appeals court pauses Christa Pike execution an hour before scheduled injection

newsSep 30, 202655203

A federal appeals panel temporarily halted the execution of Christa Gail Pike about an hour before a scheduled lethal injection in Tennessee. Pike, now 50, was convicted for the 1995 stabbing and beating of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer; she was 18 at the time. The appeals court said it needs time to review Pike's claim that allegations of childhood sexual abuse and rape were not adequately considered at her sentencing. The stay came after the U.S. Supreme Court denied an emergency request from Pike's attorneys and after Tennessee Governor Bill Lee denied clemency. Tennessee has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to vacate the appeals court stay and proceed with the execution. If the stay is lifted, the state would again move to carry out the first execution of a woman in Tennessee in more than 200 years; if the appeals court proceeds with review, Pike's sentence could face further delay or reconsideration.

Chris Geidner

@chrisgeidner.bsky.social

NEW: After the Sixth Circuit, on a 2-1 vote, issued "a short stay of execution" this morning to consider Christa Pike's claims before the court, Tennessee quickly has gone to the Supreme Court seeking to vacate the stay — and allow the state to kill Pike today. www.documentcloud.org/documents/28...

754h ago

Chris Geidner31

Here was the Sixth Circuit's order from this morning: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

Micker5

I don't really see the rush to murder someone. She is still on death row. The thirst for blood really is something so ingrained in the US.

Evie!1

Feels very on the nose that the first woman to be executed in decades will be a victim of repeated sexual abuse which the authorities refused to act on. That sounds like a bad-taste parody of our justice system, but no, it's real.

Quoting this

DodgerFanLA5

I appreciate chris’s reporting on death penalty cases because he accurately describes the states desire to “kill” someone. Hate the euphemisms that are often used Anyways abolish the death penalty

Barred and Boujee aka Madiba Dennie

@audrelawdamercy.blacksky.app

oh shit! since Tennessee's governor denied clemency two days ago, and the Supreme Court denied a stay of execution yesterday, I definitely assumed Tennessee would execute Christa Pike today but the execution has apparently been paused TBD if 'paused' becomes 'called off'

324h ago

Pop Base

@popbase.tv

Christa Pike has been granted stay of execution by lethal injection shortly before it was scheduled to happen. On death row for 30 years, Pike was set to become the first woman to be executed by the state of Tennessee in over 200 years.

414h ago

Quoting this

jade ৻ꪆ3

this week is beating my ass whilst reminding me that white privilege is a bitch, my gawd

Tennessee Lookout

@tennesseelookout.com

A federal appeals court temporarily halted the execution of Christa Pike, a Tennessee woman set to be the first female put to death in the state since 1820. The three-judge panel for the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals said it needs more time to address Pike's history of sexual abuse.

114h ago

Holly McCall

@jhollymc.bsky.social

From @friedmanadam5.bsky.social: A three-judge panel of the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily halted the execution of Christa Pike about an hour before it was set to take place on Tuesday. The judges agreed with Pike'd lawyers that they need time to investigate her history of sexual abuse.

74h ago

Le Monde

@lemonde.fr

La justice américaine suspend l’exécution de Christa Pike, quelques minutes avant l’injection létale prévue

114h ago

RoseMarie

@rosesbloom24.bsky.social

A U.S. appeals court on Wednesday halted the execution of death row inmate Christa Pike in Tennessee, less than two hours before she was scheduled to become the first woman that state has put to death in more than two hundred years. 🧵 www.reuters.com/world/us/ten...

74h ago

Deeddra 📎🇺🇸🔵🦋

@deeddra.bsky.social

Court halts execution of Christa Gail Pike for a Tennessee murder she committed at age 18 apnews.com/article/chri...

43h ago

Gavin, Small Beer (closed due to long covid), &c.

@gavingrant.bsky.social

I just wrote a @theactionnetwork.bsky.social letter: Governor Lee, Reconsider Clemency for Christa Pike. Write one here: actionnetwork.org/letters/gove...

23h ago

Nashville Scene

@nashvillescene.com

Christa Pike's fate is uncertain today after a last-minute execution stay. Last week, @julianneakers.bsky.social reported on advocates' arguments for commuting her sentence to life without parole. 🧵

12h ago

reversekarma.bsky.social

@reversekarma.bsky.social

The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered a "short stay of ‌execution" to give it time to weigh Pike's claim that her allegations of childhood sexual abuse were not adequately considered during her sentencing. The court did not provide a specific timeframe. www.reuters.com/world/us/ten...

12h ago

C. A. Bridges

@cabridges.bsky.social

Christa Pike received a temporary stay of execution just before she was scheduled to be put to death. Why does that happen so rarely in Florida?

12h ago

U.S. Campaign to End the Death Penalty

@uscedp.bsky.social

A federal court has stayed Christa Pike's execution which was scheduled for today. The Governor of TN can still call off the execution altogether. Contact him to grant Christa clemency: actionnetwork.org/letters/gove... @tndeathpenalty.bsky.social

13h ago

Liz

@rationalfish.bsky.social

If you're against the death penalty, sign this letter asap: Governor Lee, Reconsider Clemency for Christa Pike: actionnetwork.org/letters/gove...

22h ago

WTVY News4

@wtvy.com

A federal appeals court halted the execution in Tennessee of Christa Pike, the first woman in at least 200 years set to be put to death in the state, about an hour before it was set to begin. READ MORE >>> https://www.wtvy.com/2026/09/30/tennessee-execution-christa-gail-pike-is-halted-by-court/

14h ago

3 sources

nytimes.comCourt Pauses Execution of Christa Pike, Tennessee’s Lone Woman on Death Row (Gift Article)abc.net.auUS appeals court pauses execution of Tennessee killer Christa Pike aljazeera.comChrista Pike seeks firing squad, not lethal injection: Inside US executions

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Appeals court pauses Christa Pike execution an hour before scheduled injection

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