US Supreme Court clears way for Tennessee execution of woman for murder

The US Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that Tennessee could proceed with its first execution of a woman in 200 years, clearing the way for Christa Pike to be put to death by lethal injection for murdering a schoolmate as an 18-year-old three decades ago. The Tennessee Department of Correction said in a statement to Reuters afterwards that it planned "to move forward with the execution today." Pike, 50, whose clemency petition highlighting childhood trauma and sexual abuse was denied by Governor Bill Lee on Monday, would also be the only person in the modern era of US capital punishment to be executed in Tennessee for a crime committed as a teenager. In an order decided by its 6-3 conservative majority, the Supreme Court lifted a stay of execution that was granted by a three-judge panel of the 6th US Circuit Court of Appeals one hour before Pike had been scheduled to be put to death. The appellate panel voted 2-1 to order a "short stay" to allow time to weigh Pike's claim that evidence of her childhood sexual abuse was not adequately considered during her sentencing. But the Tennessee attorney general's office immediately asked the US Supreme Court to vacate the stay. And the high ...