Tennessee execution of Christa Pike can go ahead, US supreme court rules

Pike, sentenced to death over 1995 murder, had been granted stay of execution earlier on Wednesday The US supreme court is allowing Tennessee’s first execution of a woman in 200 years to go forward, vacating a last-minute stay issued by a lower court earlier in the day. Christa P

Pike, sentenced to death over 1995 murder, had been granted stay of execution earlier on Wednesday The US supreme court is allowing Tennessee’s first execution of a woman in 200 years to go forward, vacating a last-minute stay issued by a lower court earlier in the day. Christa Pike, who was convicted of murder 30 years ago, was initially scheduled to die by lethal injection on Wednesday morning until her execution was halted hours earlier by a federal appeals court. In a 2-1 ruling, that court said the delay was necessary to assess whether Pike’s allegations of childhood sexual abuse were fully considered at her sentencing.

The state governor and the supreme court had earlier refused calls for clemency. Continue reading...