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Pike v. Tennessee

U.S. Supreme Court · No. 26-5696

Christa Gail Pike, sentenced to death in Tennessee for a 1995 murder, survived an attempted lethal injection on Sept. 30, 2026, hours after the U.S. Supreme Court lifted a stay over three justices' dissent. She is back in prison, and in an Oct. 30 statement she said she has been in pain since that night. The governor ordered an outside review; no new execution date has been set.

Updated November 14, 2026 · 4 min read

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Christa Pike survived Tennessee's execution attempt. Here's where her case stands.

The state says it followed its protocol. Her lawyers say the IV lines weren't placed correctly. A review is under way, evidence must be preserved, and no one has said whether Tennessee will try again.

November 14, 2026 · 4 min read