Tennessee Governor Denies Clemency for Christa Pike

By Daniel Mercer Charlotte, NC · CRIME DESK

Published Updated 5 min read

Governor Bill Lee denied clemency for Christa Pike, allowing her September 30 execution. Her attorneys petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court for a stay following the decision.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee denied clemency for Christa Pike, clearing the way for her scheduled execution by lethal injection on Wednesday, September 30. Pike’s attorneys have filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court requesting a stay of execution following the governor's decision.

"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 said in a statement. The governor has never granted clemency in a death penalty case during his tenure.

The Tennessee Supreme Court rejected Pike's execution stay request on September 23, citing no constitutional violations in the state's execution process. This ruling followed legal challenges from Pike's team regarding the state's lethal injection protocol.

If the execution proceeds, Pike will be the first woman executed in Tennessee since 1820. She would also be the 19th execution in the state's modern era since 1976. Nationally, 18 women have been executed in the United States since 1976, including Lisa Montgomery by the federal government in 2021 and Amber McLaughlin in Missouri in 2023.

Pike told police she initially intended to fight Slemmer but killed her in a frenzied attack. She later bragged to other students about the murder and showed them a piece of Slemmer's skull. Pike was sentenced to death on March 30, 1996, becoming the youngest woman on death row in modern U.S. history at the time.

Legal representatives argue that Pike’s trial lawyers failed to present evidence of her childhood abuse during the penalty phase. Forensic psychologist Dr. Diana McCoy found in 1995 that Pike was neglected and abused by her mother's partners and raped at ages 11 and 17. Pike’s aunt testified that Pike's mother let her crawl through floors littered with dog feces, and Pike attempted suicide at age 12.

Pike was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder while incarcerated. Psychologist Dr. Bethany Brand assessed Pike in 2023 and reported that her childhood was replete with physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. Brand stated that untreated manic episodes and PTSD influenced how threatened Pike felt and her lack of emotional control.

"The 18-year-old girl suffering from severe mental illness and near-debilitating trauma no longer exists. Christa is a 50-year-old remorseful woman who understands her actions, receives proper treatment for her mental illness, and provides for and guides fellow incarcerated women," Pike's attorneys said in a statement.

Pike expressed remorse in her clemency petition. "I was a mentally ill 18-year-old kid. It took me numerous years to even realize the gravity of what I’d done. Even more to accept how many lives I affected. I took the life of someone’s child, sister, friend. It sickens me now to think I had the ability to commit such a crime," Pike said.

In a letter, she wrote, "Whether my clemency is granted or not, I am at peace. I am not afraid to die. I’m only nervous about the process."

Medical experts have raised concerns about Pike’s health during the execution. Pike has thrombocytosis, a bone marrow disorder, and medical experts argued this condition would cause her to essentially drown in her own blood during lethal injection. Pike has requested an all-female team to carry out her execution, stating that being held down by men would exacerbate her trauma from past sexual abuse. Tennessee officials stated that female guards would transfer Pike to the execution facility but did not guarantee an all-female execution team.

May Martinez, Slemmer's mother, supports the execution. In a 2021 interview, Martinez said, "She did the crime. I think she should pay for it." Martinez described her daughter as someone who volunteered with the Special Olympics, loved roller skating, and wanted to pursue a career in computers.

Timeline

On January 12, 1995, Pike was 18 years old at the time of the murder. That same day, Pike lured Colleen Slemmer to an isolated area on the University of Tennessee campus.

Colleen Slemmer was 19 years old at the time of her death. Prosecutors stated that Pike cut Colleen Slemmer with a box cutter and beat her with a large chunk of asphalt. A pentagram was carved into Colleen Slemmer's body. The murder occurred on January 12, 1995. On March 30, 1996, Pike was convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder for the 1995 killing of Colleen Slemmer.

What's New

"She did the crime. I think she should pay for it," said May Martinez, Colleen Slemmer's mother, in a 2021 interview. "Whether my clemency is granted or not, I am at peace. I am not afraid to die. I’m only nervous about the process," wrote Pike in a letter.

May Martinez stated, "Every time I think about it, I think about Colleen feeling that pain and trying to get up and run. Not a day goes by, or a minute goes by that I do not think about Colleen. Holidays are the worst. Colleen’s birthday was last week. She would have been 51." Pike does not want her loved ones to be present at her execution. Pike would be the first woman executed in Tennessee since 1820, making her the 19th execution in the state's 'modern era' since 1976. The Tennessee Supreme Court denied Pike's request to halt the execution.

Why It Matters

The potential execution of Pike represents a notable moment in Tennessee's legal history, as she would be the first woman executed in the state since 1820. This event fits into a broader national context where only 18 women have been executed in the United States since 1976. The case has drawn attention due to Pike's age at the time of the crime and the subsequent legal debates surrounding her mental health and trial representation.

The denial of clemency by Governor Bill Lee reflects the finality of the judicial process in this instance, despite arguments from defense attorneys and experts regarding Pike's traumatic background and mental illness. The upcoming execution highlights ongoing discussions about the death penalty, particularly concerning individuals with histories of severe abuse and mental health disorders. The involvement of international bodies, such as UN human rights experts calling for the execution to be stopped, indicates the global scrutiny surrounding this case.

fact_check Facts

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee denied clemency for Christa Pike.
Bill Lee, Governor of Tennessee
"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," said Tennessee Governor Bill Lee in a statement.
Christa Pike is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection on Wednesday, September 30.
If the execution proceeds, Christa Pike will be the first woman executed in Tennessee since 1820.
Christa Pike's attorneys have filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court requesting a stay of execution.
The Tennessee Supreme Court denied Christa Pike's request to halt the execution.
Christa Pike stated that being held down by men during the execution would exacerbate her trauma from past sexual abuse.
Tennessee officials stated that female guards would transfer Pike to the execution facility but did not guarantee an all-female execution team.
Stephen Ferrell, Assistant Federal Defender
Assistant Federal Defender Stephen Ferrell stated that Christa Pike was sexually abused as a toddler and raped at ages 11 and 17.
Forensic psychologist Dr. Diana McCoy found in 1995 that Christa Pike was neglected and abused by her mother's partners and raped at ages 11 and 17.
Christa Pike's trial lawyers did not present evidence of her childhood abuse to the jury during the penalty phase.
Christa Pike, Inmate
"I was a mentally ill 18-year-old kid. It took me numerous years to even realize the gravity of what I’d done. Even more to accept how many lives I affected. I took the life of someone’s child, sister, friend. It sickens me now to think I had the ability to commit such a crime," said Christa Pike in a statement included in her clemency petition.
Christa Pike, Inmate
"Whether my clemency is granted or not, I am at peace. I am not afraid to die. I’m only nervous about the process," wrote Christa Pike in a letter to NBC News.
May Martinez, Colleen Slemmer's mother, supports the execution.
May Martinez, Mother of victim
"She did the crime. I think she should pay for it," said May Martinez, Colleen Slemmer's mother, in a 2021 interview.
Christa Pike has thrombocytosis, a bone marrow disorder.
Medical experts argued that Christa Pike's thrombocytosis would cause her to essentially drown in her own blood during lethal injection.
Sandra Babcock, Lawyer, Cornell Law School
Sandra Babcock, a lawyer at Cornell Law School, stated that Christa Pike's case is compelling due to her history of sexual violence, youth, and mental illness.
Sandra Babcock, Lawyer, Cornell Law School
"If they let her be executed, then what it tells us is that the death penalty in this country is just a joke. It's not for the worst of the worst. It is for the people who receive the worst legal representation and who are the most damaged and vulnerable," said Sandra Babcock.
UN human rights experts called for the execution to be stopped.
Robin M. Maher, Executive Director, Death Penalty Information Center
Robin M. Maher, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, stated that if Christa Pike were tried today with knowledge of her abuse, a jury would not sentence her to death.
Christa Pike attempted suicide at age 12.
Christa Pike's aunt testified that Pike's mother let her crawl through floors littered with dog feces.
Randall Spivey, Attorney
Randall Spivey, one of Pike's lawyers, stated, "Stepping into the chaos of Christa’s life that led her to that moment will not justify her actions that night. But the chaos will show you that Christa was broken, not evil."
Psychologist Dr. Bethany Brand assessed Christa Pike in 2023 and reported that her childhood was replete with physical, sexual, and emotional abuse.
Bethany Brand, Psychologist
Dr. Bethany Brand stated that untreated manic episodes and PTSD influenced how threatened Pike felt and her lack of emotional control.
A federal appeals court ruled that new evidence of bipolar disorder, PTSD, and brain damage mostly repeated what the jury had heard and would not have changed the verdict.
Governor Bill Lee has never granted clemency in a death penalty case.
May Martinez, Mother of victim
May Martinez stated, "Every time I think about it, I think about Colleen feeling that pain and trying to get up and run. Not a day goes by, or a minute goes by that I do not think about Colleen. Holidays are the worst. Colleen’s birthday was last week. She would have been 51."

menu_bookBackground & Context

Context and data our newsroom added to the originating report.

The murder occurred on January 12, 1995.
Christa Pike and Colleen Slemmer were classmates at the Knoxville Job Corps center.
Tadaryl Shipp, who was 17 at the time, participated in the murder and was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole.
Shadolla Peterson, a third participant, admitted to being an accessory and received probation.
A pentagram was carved into Colleen Slemmer's body.
Tadaryl Shipp stated that he carved the pentagram into Colleen Slemmer's body.
Since 1976, 18 women have been executed in the United States.
Christa Pike lured Colleen Slemmer to an isolated area on the University of Tennessee campus.
Christa Pike told police she initially intended to fight Colleen Slemmer but killed her in a frenzied attack.
Prosecutors stated that Christa Pike cut Colleen Slemmer with a box cutter and beat her with a large chunk of asphalt.
Tadaryl Shipp was denied parole last year.
Christa Pike bragged to other students about the murder and showed them a piece of Colleen Slemmer's skull.
May Martinez stated that her daughter Colleen Slemmer volunteered with the Special Olympics, loved roller skating, and wanted a career in computers.
Christa Pike was sentenced to death on March 30, 1996.
Christa Pike was the youngest woman on death row in modern US history at the time of her sentencing.
Missouri executed Amber McLaughlin, a transgender woman, in 2023.
The federal government executed Lisa Montgomery in 2021.
Georgia executed a woman in 2015.
Gaile Owens was on Tennessee's death row with Pike until 2010, when her sentence was commuted to life in prison by Governor Phil Bredesen.
The Tennessee Supreme Court rejected Pike's execution stay request on September 23, 2026, citing 'no constitutional violations' in the state's execution process.
Colleen Slemmer's mother, May Martinez, stated her daughter 'volunteered with the Special Olympics, loved roller skating, and wanted to pursue a career in computers,' according to The Guardian.
Christa Pike would be the first woman executed in Tennessee since 1820, making her the 19th execution in the state's 'modern era' since 1976.
Christa Pike was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2021 while incarcerated, according to court records and prison medical files.
Christa Pike's trial attorneys failed to present evidence of her childhood sexual abuse and mental health history during the penalty phase of her trial, despite forensic psychologist Dr. Diana McCoy's 1995 findings documenting her trauma.

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