The Tennessee Supreme Court announced execution dates for four individuals on Tuesday, notably including Christa Pike, the only woman on death row.
Pike received her death sentence at just 18 years old in 1995 for the brutal murder of Colleen Slemmer, a student at Knoxville Job Corps. Slemmer was stabbed and beaten by Pike, along with her then-boyfriend, Tadalil Ship, at the University of Tennessee’s agricultural campus.
During the attack, they carved a five-gram mark into Slemmer’s chest, and it’s said that Pike kept a piece of the victim’s skull as a grim souvenir. Ship, who is from Memphis, was given a life sentence with the possibility of parole.
In 2004, Pike faced additional charges for attempting to strangle fellow inmates during a prison altercation.
Her attorney previously petitioned the Tennessee Supreme Court to reduce her sentence, citing severe mental health issues stemming from her youth. The lawyer explained that Pike experienced significant physical and sexual abuse as a child.
Additionally, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder years after her arrest.
“With time and treatment… Christa has evolved into a reflective woman who feels deep remorse for her actions,” her lawyer stated on Wednesday.
Tennessee resumed executions in May after a three-year pause due to revelations that the state had not adequately tested lethal injection drugs for purity and effectiveness.
An independent review highlighted that the drugs administered for the seven inmates executed in Tennessee since 2018 had not been fully vetted. Furthermore, the state Attorney General’s Office admitted in court that two officials overseeing these lethal injection drugs gave false testimony regarding the necessary testing of chemicals.
Kelly Henry, a federal defense attorney representing several death row inmates, remarked on Wednesday that there are still numerous unanswered questions about the conditions surrounding recent executions.
In one case, the autopsy of a executed individual revealed pulmonary edema, a condition characterized by fluid in the lungs, which raised concerns about the potentially torturous nature of the execution.
Henry voiced determination to uncover the truth about what transpired to advocate for her clients effectively.
On Tuesday, execution dates were also set for Tony Carruthers, Gary Sutton, and Anthony Hines.
Carruthers was convicted in 1996 for the robbery and murder of Marcellos Anderson, Frederick Tucker, and Anderson’s mother, Delois Anderson. Reports suggest that Anderson was involved in drug dealing, and Carruthers sought to take over those operations in Memphis. He represented himself during the trial after expressing dissatisfaction with his court-appointed attorneys.
Sutton had already been convicted for the murder of Connie Branam, a relative of his friend, and now faces death for the shotgun killing of 24-year-old Tommy Griffin.
Despite this, Sutton maintains his innocence, with his lawyer pointing to questionable evidence linking him to the crime.
Hines was convicted in 1985 for fatally stabbing 54-year-old Katherine Jen Jenkins, a motel maid.
Additionally, Harold Nichols, 64, is also slated for execution in Tennessee following a conviction for rape and first-degree murder in the 1988 death of Karen Pulley.
Donald Middlebrooks’ execution has been postponed due to ongoing federal court proceedings challenging Tennessee’s execution protocols.
