{"id":2173539,"date":"2026-10-01T12:14:48","date_gmt":"2026-10-01T09:14:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2173539"},"modified":"2026-10-01T12:14:48","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T09:14:48","slug":"christa-pike-tennessee-governor-halts-executions-after-botched-attempt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2173539","title":{"rendered":"Christa Pike: Tennessee Governor Halts Executions After Botched Attempt"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/bd\/16by9\/2026\/10\/01\/bd1f4847d83f4512a3b6ed2fd902a624_xl.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article class=\"article article--permalink \">\n<header class=\"article__header\">\n<h1 class=\"article__header--headline-title\">Christa Pike: Tennessee Governor Halts Executions After Botched Attempt<\/h1>\n<h2 class=\"article__header--headline-fragments\"><span class=\"article__header--hf1 text-uppercase h3\">Christa Pike<\/span><span class=\"article__header--hf2 text-uppercase h1\">Tenn. Governor Halts Executions After Botched Attempt<\/span><span class=\"article__header--hf3 text-none h2\">&#8216;We Need a Third Party Review&#8217;<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"social-media-container\" role=\"region\">\n<ul class=\"social social--sm\">\n<li class=\"social-item\">\n<li class=\"social-item\">\n<li class=\"social-item\"><\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tmz.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"google-preferred-btn js-track-link\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"google-preferred-btn__icon\" src=\"https:\/\/static.tmz.com\/tmz-web\/img\/article\/google-icon.svg\" alt=\"Google\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"google-preferred-btn__title\">Add TMZ on Google<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/pages\/about\/\">TMZ Staff<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"date-wrapper\">\n                                                                        Published <time class=\"published-datetime\" datetime=\"2026-10-01T05:14:48-07:00\"><br \/>\n                              October 1, 2026<br \/>\n                            5:14 AM PDT<\/time><span class=\"divider\">|<\/span><br \/>\n                                                                Updated <time class=\"updated-datetime\" datetime=\"2026-10-01T06:07:53-07:00\"><br \/>\n                                  October 1, 2026<br \/>\n                                6:07 AM PDT<\/time><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"article__blocks clearfix\">\n<section id=\"cb-42c12284bd19b9f7455b50a48236506b\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-image-block canvas-image-block-permalink canvas-image-block--default  canvas-block-is-first \">\n<div class=\"image-block\"><a class=\"js-click-image js-track-link image-lightbox-preview\" data-node-ref=\"tmz:image-asset:image_jpg_20261001_bd1f4847d83f4512a3b6ed2fd902a624\" data-container-ref=\"tmz:article:79319ea1-c87d-4807-aad5-62d3faffd4aa\" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;image&quot;}\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"img-wrapper\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/bd\/4by3\/2026\/10\/01\/bd1f4847d83f4512a3b6ed2fd902a624_md.jpg\" alt=\"christa pike and bill lee getty 1\" width=\"728\" height=\"546\" class=\"img-fluid image-block__img-fluid img-aspect-auto\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"image-block__card-footer\"><span class=\"media-credit image-block__media-credit\">Getty<\/span><\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-f0d4831a2b175502048a4d3dd602c4a4\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>Tennessee Governor <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/people\/bill-lee\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><strong>Bill Lee<\/strong><\/a> has halted the remaining executions this year &#8230; after an attempt to put <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/people\/christa-pike\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><strong>Christa Pike<\/strong><\/a> to death was botched.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-3a9084d1e491023eb622b6e14ab16108\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>In the wake of the failed execution attempts, Lee ordered &#8220;a comprehensive, third-party review&#8221; to determine what went wrong &#8230; according to <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/christa-pike-execution-tennessee-f826a60582083b90ac7695ecb16afbdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>AP News<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-c21c137517a04c5c2dcf94da3582102e\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-image-block canvas-image-block-permalink canvas-image-block--default  \">\n<div class=\"image-block\"><a class=\"js-click-image js-track-link image-lightbox-preview\" data-node-ref=\"tmz:image-asset:image_jpg_20260929_757f5ed64712480783c222ef0e7cfdd9\" data-container-ref=\"tmz:article:79319ea1-c87d-4807-aad5-62d3faffd4aa\" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;image&quot;}\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"img-wrapper\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/75\/4by3\/2026\/09\/29\/757f5ed64712480783c222ef0e7cfdd9_md.jpg\" alt=\"Christa Pike Mug Shot 1\" width=\"728\" height=\"546\" class=\"img-fluid image-block__img-fluid img-aspect-auto\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"image-block__card-footer\"><span class=\"media-credit image-block__media-credit\">Tennessee Department of Correction<\/span><\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-fef408208970b609363056c9bda16118\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>He added in his statement &#8230; &#8220;Carrying out a lawfully imposed sentence is among the state&#8217;s most serious responsibilities, and the people of Tennessee expect it to be done in a manner that is not only legal and constitutional, but is effective.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-4dbb8e2d5a63d36e26c63fba81c5cc40\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>We <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2026\/09\/30\/christa-pike-still-alive-after-attempted-executions\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><strong>reported<\/strong><\/a> earlier &#8230; Pike was left snoring loudly after the 2 failed injections.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-e9bb10c67091e95b3cf996a0947281a6\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-image-block canvas-image-block-permalink canvas-image-block--default  \">\n<div class=\"image-block\"><a class=\"js-click-image js-track-link image-lightbox-preview\" data-node-ref=\"tmz:image-asset:image_jpg_20260929_70fab5a67bdc40a0b3a420e89d245a3c\" data-container-ref=\"tmz:article:79319ea1-c87d-4807-aad5-62d3faffd4aa\" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;image&quot;}\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"img-wrapper\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/70\/4by3\/2026\/09\/29\/70fab5a67bdc40a0b3a420e89d245a3c_md.jpg\" alt=\"Christa Pike Amnesty International USA\" width=\"728\" height=\"546\" class=\"img-fluid image-block__img-fluid img-aspect-auto\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"image-block__card-footer\"><span class=\"media-credit image-block__media-credit\">Amnesty International USA<\/span><\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-743c0e4bdc5275aa12526acbb3720c29\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>Witnesses said that she had &#8220;not lost consciousness&#8221; and her heart was still beating &#8230; before an ambulance transported her from the prison. Her current status is unknown.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-4a7e72a94e0821c5e127e03906235973\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>After a federal appeals court issued a stay of her execution &#8230; the Supreme Court <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2026\/09\/30\/christa-pike-to-be-executed-in-tennessee\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><strong>lifted that stay<\/strong><\/a>, allowing the death sentence to go forward.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-d14b57508ddc5bf9d2b26f66087f99ea\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  canvas-block-is-last \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>Pike had been convicted of the 1995 slaying of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/people\/colleen-slemmer\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><strong>Colleen Slemmer<\/strong><\/a>, 19, when Pike was 18 years old.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-12\">\n<ul class=\"social social--permalink\">\n<li class=\"social__item social__item--3items\"><a class=\"btn social__btn social__btn--facebook js-track-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2026\/10\/01\/tennessee-governor-halts-executions-after-botched-christa-pike-attempt\/\" data-node-ref=\"tmz:article:79319ea1-c87d-4807-aad5-62d3faffd4aa\" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;main&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;facebook-footer&quot;,&quot;pos&quot;:1}\"><br \/>\n                Share<span class=\"social__hide-sm\"> on Facebook<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"social__item social__item--3items\"><a class=\"btn social__btn social__btn--x js-track-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2026\/10\/01\/tennessee-governor-halts-executions-after-botched-christa-pike-attempt\/\" data-node-ref=\"tmz:article:79319ea1-c87d-4807-aad5-62d3faffd4aa\" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;main&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;twitter-footer&quot;,&quot;pos&quot;:2}\"><br \/>\n                Share<span class=\"social__hide-sm\"> on X<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"social__item social__item--3items\"><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"related-articles\">\n<header class=\"card-section-header related-articles__card-section-header\">\n<h3 class=\"card-section-title related-articles__card-section-title\">\n              Related articles<br \/>\n            <\/h3>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"row related-articles__row\">\n<div class=\"col related-articles__col\">\n<article class=\"related-articles__card\"><a class=\"related-articles__card-link js-track-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2026\/09\/30\/christa-pike-federal-prosecutors-want-execution-to-proceed-after-delay\/\" data-node-ref=\"tmz:article:79319ea1-c87d-4807-aad5-62d3faffd4aa\" 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data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;main&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;related-article&quot;,&quot;pos&quot;:2}\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"related-articles__card-img ratio\">\n<div class=\"ratio-item\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/50\/16by9\/2026\/09\/30\/5098c79a3ddb49a0a8287d0e052ff5e9_xs.jpg\" alt=\"christa pike AMNESTY INTERNATIONL USA 1\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" class=\"img-fluid\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"related-articles__card-body\">\n<h4 class=\"related-articles__card-title\">\n                        Christa Pike&#8217;s Execution Paused an Hour Before Her Lethal Injection was Scheduled<br \/>\n                      <\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col related-articles__col\">\n<article class=\"related-articles__card\"><a class=\"related-articles__card-link js-track-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2026\/09\/29\/tennessee-inmate-on-death-row-compares-herself-to-lindsay-clancy\/\" 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href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2025\/10\/02\/death-row-christa-pike\/\" data-node-ref=\"tmz:article:79319ea1-c87d-4807-aad5-62d3faffd4aa\" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;main&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;related-article&quot;,&quot;pos&quot;:4}\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"related-articles__card-img ratio\">\n<div class=\"ratio-item\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/8e\/16by9\/2025\/10\/02\/8ecc9d853c22451b8f4be9c1c6862443_xs.jpg\" alt=\"Christa Pike is seen posing for a mugshot. She&apos;s wearing a white shirt.\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" class=\"img-fluid\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"related-articles__card-body\">\n<h4 class=\"related-articles__card-title\">\n                        Who Is Christa Pike? What to Know About the Death Row Inmate<br \/>\n                      <\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"tag-cloud\">\n<ul class=\"tag-cloud__list-group\"><a class=\"tag-cloud__list-group-item js-track-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/people\/bill-lee\/\" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;main&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;tag-cloud&quot;,&quot;pos&quot;:1}\"><br \/>\n                Bill Lee<br \/>\n              <\/a><a class=\"tag-cloud__list-group-item js-track-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/people\/christa-pike\/\" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;main&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;tag-cloud&quot;,&quot;pos&quot;:2}\"><br \/>\n                Christa Pike<br \/>\n              <\/a><a class=\"tag-cloud__list-group-item js-track-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/people\/colleen-slemmer\/\" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;main&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;tag-cloud&quot;,&quot;pos&quot;:3}\"><br \/>\n                Colleen Slemmer<br \/>\n              <\/a><a class=\"tag-cloud__list-group-item js-track-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/categories\/death-penalty\/\" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;main&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;tag-cloud&quot;,&quot;pos&quot;:4}\"><br \/>\n                Death Penalty<br \/>\n              <\/a><a class=\"tag-cloud__list-group-item js-track-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/categories\/crime\/\" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;main&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;tag-cloud&quot;,&quot;pos&quot;:5}\"><br \/>\n                Crime<br \/>\n              <\/a><a class=\"tag-cloud__list-group-item js-track-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/categories\/legal\/\" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;main&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;tag-cloud&quot;,&quot;pos&quot;:6}\"><br \/>\n                Legal<br \/>\n              <\/a><a class=\"tag-cloud__list-group-item js-track-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/categories\/news\/\" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;main&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;tag-cloud&quot;,&quot;pos&quot;:7}\"><br \/>\n                News<br \/>\n              <\/a><a class=\"tag-cloud__list-group-item js-track-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/categories\/murder\/\" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;main&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;tag-cloud&quot;,&quot;pos&quot;:8}\"><br \/>\n                Murder<br \/>\n              <\/a><\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<\/article>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2026\/10\/01\/tennessee-governor-halts-executions-after-botched-christa-pike-attempt\/&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/bd\/16by9\/2026\/10\/01\/bd1f4847d83f4512a3b6ed2fd902a624_xl.jpg&#8221;] Christa Pike: Tennessee Governor Halts Executions After Botched Attempt Christa PikeTenn. Governor Halts Executions After Botched Attempt&#8216;We Need a Third Party Review&#8217; Add TMZ on Google By TMZ Staff Published October 1, 2026 5:14 AM PDT| Updated October 1, 2026 6:07 AM PDT Getty Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has halted the remaining [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,77],"class_list":["post-2173539","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-tmz-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2173539","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2173539"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2173539\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2173539"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2173539"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2173539"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}