The execution of Tennessee inmate Christa Pike was halted on Wednesday, 30 September 2026, just over an hour before it was scheduled to occur. Judges from the Sixth Circuit Appeals court issued the ruling, stating they required more time to consider arguments in Pike's case.
Ms Pike, 50, has been awaiting execution since her conviction and death sentence in 1996 for the murder of Colleen Slemmer. The duration of the pause is currently unclear.
This ruling follows the Supreme Court's denial of a reprieve and the Tennessee governor's refusal to grant clemency earlier this week. Pike's legal team had asked the appeals court to return her motion to the district court, arguing that federal review may have been affected if previous rulings were based on the state's earlier claim that she had lied about childhood sexual abuse.
The appeal that led to Wednesday's stay challenged Tennessee's lethal injection method. Pike's lawyers argued it could cause suffering beyond what is constitutionally allowed for a death sentence and that procedures denied her a fair chance to prove this.
Tennessee's Attorney General stated, "We will continue to advocate for the lawfully imposed sentence as the courts work through this technical issue," adding that they are asking the Supreme Court of the United States to lift the stay.