NASHVILLE — Tennessee does not currently have a pending execution order for Christa Pike, but won’t answer whether capital punishment will be rescheduled, a court heard Wednesday.
Convicted murderer Pike, 50, was due to become the first woman to be executed in Tennessee in over 200 years on September 30 but survived two botched attempts to put her death and is awake and speaking in hospital.
Lawyers for Pike and the state appeared Wednesday in Davidson County Chancery Court to argue an emergency motion requiring the Tennessee Department of Correction to protect and preserve all evidence related to the bungled execution.
“There is no pending execution order for Ms. Pike and there is no allegation that one is coming,” Tennessee Assistant Attorney General William Ayers told the court.
Here’s the latest on the botched execution of Tennessee murderer Christa Pike:
Asked by judge I’Ashea Myles if the state would take the position that the execution will not be rescheduled, Ayers replied, “I can’t answer that question.”
Pike’s lawyer, Luke Ihnen, said “the state has made no promises that Ms. Pike will not be subject to future execution.”
He added that they are seeking evidence to be preserved because it would be “relevant for any future challenge she makes.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
