1 00:00:02,520 --> 00:00:07,480 Speaker 1: Folks, the state of Tennessee has not executed a woman 2 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:12,440 Speaker 1: in some two hundred years, and Krista Gail Pike is 3 00:00:12,600 --> 00:00:15,960 Speaker 1: fighting to not be the next. And with that, welcome 4 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:18,960 Speaker 1: to this episode of Amy and TJ. Presentz wrote, this 5 00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:21,160 Speaker 1: is a story that got a lot of headlines of 6 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:24,000 Speaker 1: the end of last year because there was a date 7 00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:28,080 Speaker 1: put on the books for an execution, a rare execution 8 00:00:28,360 --> 00:00:29,840 Speaker 1: of a woman in Tennessee. 9 00:00:29,960 --> 00:00:33,400 Speaker 2: That's right, she was set, I say, is said, there's 10 00:00:33,479 --> 00:00:37,840 Speaker 2: not Auz is said to be executed on September thirtieth 11 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:42,199 Speaker 2: of this year. But Krista Pike has now filed a 12 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:47,199 Speaker 2: lawsuit to stop her execution. She says that executing her 13 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:52,840 Speaker 2: would violate her constitutional rights and her religious beliefs. Will 14 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:57,040 Speaker 2: get into exactly how she's saying an execution would do 15 00:00:57,160 --> 00:01:00,960 Speaker 2: both of those things to her. It's interesting, It's creative. 16 00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:04,240 Speaker 1: It's creative, you just said, because my next question to you, 17 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:07,520 Speaker 1: we we just we happen to cover a lot of 18 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:11,640 Speaker 1: executions in rooms. We see this thing fighting, fighting, fighting 19 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:12,320 Speaker 1: to stay alive. 20 00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:15,600 Speaker 2: Yes, attorneys will come up with all sorts of different 21 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:18,959 Speaker 2: reasons as to why their client shouldn't die, whether it 22 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:21,920 Speaker 2: they go back to the trial and find some reason 23 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 2: why they didn't get a fair shake, or they'll go 24 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 2: and try and find reasons why their client is not 25 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:35,280 Speaker 2: mentally stable enough to face an execution. But this woman's 26 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:39,520 Speaker 2: attorneys are claiming she has a condition and she has 27 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:43,040 Speaker 2: a religious belief that would preclude her from being executed. 28 00:01:43,120 --> 00:01:45,160 Speaker 1: Look, we've come up, and we say we've come up. 29 00:01:45,319 --> 00:01:47,400 Speaker 1: They a lot of attorneys have come up with all 30 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:52,160 Speaker 1: kinds of ideas for how to save their client. We 31 00:01:52,280 --> 00:01:56,160 Speaker 1: don't see necessarily robes it work that often, but sometimes 32 00:01:56,160 --> 00:01:58,240 Speaker 1: it delays the process or they go through the process. 33 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:00,640 Speaker 1: This is and it shouldes. 34 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:01,120 Speaker 3: I don't know. 35 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:04,360 Speaker 1: Do people feel any differently in the country when we 36 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 1: talk about execution and people have their opinions about whether 37 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:09,520 Speaker 1: we should have it or should not have it, But 38 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:12,560 Speaker 1: do we feel any differently when it comes to executing 39 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:13,560 Speaker 1: a woman. 40 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:18,880 Speaker 2: Absolutely we do. Yes, there is something about even sending 41 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 2: a woman to prison for the rest of their lives. 42 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:24,280 Speaker 2: We just heard a jury this is so interesting. A juror, 43 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:28,840 Speaker 2: i should say, speak out after the last trial of 44 00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:32,120 Speaker 2: Corey Ritchins and she said, we sat there in that 45 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:34,960 Speaker 2: jury room and we all came into it thinking she 46 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:39,360 Speaker 2: was guilty, but we all started talking about how possibly 47 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 2: she might not be because the idea of sending a 48 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:44,800 Speaker 2: mother to prison for the rest of her life, the 49 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:47,320 Speaker 2: idea of taking a mother away from her children for 50 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:51,320 Speaker 2: the rest of their lives, was very It was very 51 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:53,040 Speaker 2: present in the room when they were trying to come 52 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:55,480 Speaker 2: to the conclusion. So, yes, I do think we have 53 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:59,240 Speaker 2: an aversion as a country, as a society in punishing 54 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:03,200 Speaker 2: women for crimes because we think of them as mothers, 55 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:06,480 Speaker 2: We think of them as people who others count on, 56 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:08,680 Speaker 2: and we try not we try to. We wish for 57 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:10,440 Speaker 2: the best, we hope for the best. We don't want 58 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 2: it to be true. 59 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:13,480 Speaker 3: And we don't want them to be monstrous exactly. We 60 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 3: it just doesn't work. 61 00:03:14,919 --> 00:03:18,200 Speaker 1: These are ok not to label women, but yes, we 62 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:22,760 Speaker 1: don't see we see them as nurturers. Like you said, 63 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:25,680 Speaker 1: So when stories and we have seen plenty of robes 64 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 1: of mothers in the country, famous stories of mothers killing 65 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:32,240 Speaker 1: their children, they're shocking. 66 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:36,360 Speaker 3: We can't we just can't it. It doesn't make sense. 67 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:40,240 Speaker 3: So here we are. I don't know. It's an interesting 68 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 3: thing to consider. 69 00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:44,640 Speaker 1: Okay, there are possibly people out there who are Yes, 70 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:47,560 Speaker 1: I'm for the death penalty, but only as applies to men, right, 71 00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:48,280 Speaker 1: is that really? 72 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:50,480 Speaker 3: Do we really feel that differently about it? 73 00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:53,320 Speaker 1: And if there was a question about execution and it 74 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:55,560 Speaker 1: just had to do with women, would we be still 75 00:03:55,600 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 1: in favor of it the way we are as a country. 76 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:00,880 Speaker 1: The numbers go back and forth the people who are 77 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:03,880 Speaker 1: in favor of the death penalty. But I'm just thinking 78 00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:07,200 Speaker 1: about that because we don't do it often. Since nineteen 79 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:11,280 Speaker 1: seventy six, only eighteen women have been executed in this country. 80 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 1: That's one percent of the however many that have been 81 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:17,280 Speaker 1: executed in that time. Yeah, I mean that doesn't happen 82 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:18,840 Speaker 1: at all. No, it doesn't happen very often. 83 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:22,479 Speaker 2: And look, I think it's because also women are not 84 00:04:22,520 --> 00:04:26,480 Speaker 2: as likely to be murderers as men just period in general, 85 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:29,640 Speaker 2: statistically speaking. So yes, of course you're gonna have fewer 86 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:32,160 Speaker 2: women sentenced to death, but yes, we do. 87 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:35,080 Speaker 1: Numbers there though, I have to do with the discrepancy 88 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:37,719 Speaker 1: of how many who end up on trial for murder, 89 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:40,520 Speaker 1: how many of them, the percentage of them who don't 90 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:42,240 Speaker 1: get the death penalty that if they were a man 91 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:42,880 Speaker 1: they might. 92 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:45,760 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, no, that makes sense, that does make sense. 93 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:48,360 Speaker 2: That does make sense, So yes, I do think that would. 94 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:51,479 Speaker 3: You be less likely to vote death penalty for women? 95 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:55,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, I wouldn't be able to be on a jury. 96 00:04:55,240 --> 00:04:58,200 Speaker 2: Full disclosure here, because I am against the death penalty. 97 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:01,040 Speaker 2: I wouldn't be able to send anybody to death row. 98 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:01,840 Speaker 3: No matter who they are. 99 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:04,640 Speaker 2: Correct. That's just where I am personally, So I would 100 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:07,880 Speaker 2: have to make that known the moment I was being 101 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:10,480 Speaker 2: questioned as a juror and they'd say thank you and next, 102 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:12,960 Speaker 2: because I just I wouldn't be able. 103 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:16,120 Speaker 3: To sleep the defense Yeah we want her. 104 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:22,120 Speaker 2: No, So I am somebody who who would not be 105 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 2: able to be on that jury. I couldn't sleep at 106 00:05:23,760 --> 00:05:25,400 Speaker 2: night either way. How about you? 107 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:28,560 Speaker 1: I yeah, we've talked about it. Plaint just not a 108 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:31,080 Speaker 1: fan of this ceremony, if you will. For us, going 109 00:05:31,080 --> 00:05:35,240 Speaker 1: through the process of killing somebody just feels barbaric, no 110 00:05:35,279 --> 00:05:38,039 Speaker 1: matter what that crime happens to be, and there's been 111 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:42,240 Speaker 1: some horrific, horrific crimes the way I would say, if 112 00:05:42,240 --> 00:05:46,039 Speaker 1: that family member went and killed that person and I 113 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:48,279 Speaker 1: was on the jury, I would do a whole agreed 114 00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:49,560 Speaker 1: with it a time to kill a thing. 115 00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:55,000 Speaker 2: Where I absolutely I agree with that sentiment, and by 116 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:57,400 Speaker 2: the way would have zero problems sending someone to prison 117 00:05:57,480 --> 00:05:59,800 Speaker 2: for the rest of their lives to never see the 118 00:05:59,839 --> 00:06:03,960 Speaker 2: life day again, no problem there just couldn't vote to executing. 119 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:05,719 Speaker 1: No, I'm just curious that as we were talking about 120 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:07,680 Speaker 1: if it's different with a man or woman, know it's 121 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:10,400 Speaker 1: no different for us necessarily, but only eighteen women. So 122 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:13,839 Speaker 1: ro yes, this will make headlines, Krista gail'pike. How will 123 00:06:13,839 --> 00:06:16,719 Speaker 1: the country feel? Will there be a different conversation leading 124 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:19,560 Speaker 1: up to this execution about the death penalty? And there 125 00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:23,279 Speaker 1: are some actually robe there are she has as a 126 00:06:23,279 --> 00:06:26,440 Speaker 1: part of her story in her case, if you not 127 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:29,359 Speaker 1: the crime, but her life leading up to the crime 128 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:32,239 Speaker 1: to where you would go, wow, you would have at 129 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:35,000 Speaker 1: you gotta take a beat to go man, this person 130 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:36,000 Speaker 1: had it bad. 131 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:39,200 Speaker 2: It's true, and look, there are some First of all, 132 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:41,279 Speaker 2: we want to point out this is not an issue 133 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:44,560 Speaker 2: or not a case of guilt or innocence. She absolutely 134 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:47,640 Speaker 2: admits to having done this now and as actually we're 135 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:49,480 Speaker 2: going to get into we are going to hear directly 136 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:51,120 Speaker 2: from her, have a couple quotes from her that are 137 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:54,920 Speaker 2: very powerful actually about where she is now in her 138 00:06:54,960 --> 00:07:00,359 Speaker 2: process of attrition and culpability it is. It's some to 139 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:04,920 Speaker 2: consider when you're hearing this case. But her crime is heinous. 140 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:08,520 Speaker 2: This happened thirty years ago, actually more than thirty years ago, 141 00:07:08,640 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 2: January twelfth, nineteen ninety five. But here's the deal. She 142 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:15,520 Speaker 2: was just eighteen years old. I say just eighteen years old, 143 00:07:16,280 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 2: But when you hear what she did, it's tough to reconcile. 144 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:25,200 Speaker 2: She tortured before she murdered a nineteen year old girl. 145 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 2: Her name was Colleen Slemmer, her romantic rival, or someone 146 00:07:28,840 --> 00:07:31,280 Speaker 2: she considered to be her romantic rival. She thought this 147 00:07:31,280 --> 00:07:34,680 Speaker 2: girl had her sights on her boyfriend, so she convinces 148 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:37,920 Speaker 2: her boyfriend who's seventeen years old, and a friend to 149 00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:42,360 Speaker 2: lure this young woman, this Colleen Slimmer into the woods. 150 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:46,560 Speaker 2: And when they get her into the woods, she apparently 151 00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:49,240 Speaker 2: and even bragged about this later that she cuts Slummer's 152 00:07:49,320 --> 00:07:53,560 Speaker 2: throat six times with a box cutter, cut her back 153 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:58,280 Speaker 2: with a meat cleaver, carved a pentagram into her chest, 154 00:07:58,840 --> 00:08:01,920 Speaker 2: and then continued even as Slummer was begging her to 155 00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:06,280 Speaker 2: please please stop, and eventually she killed her by throwing 156 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:11,080 Speaker 2: a large chunk of asphalt at her head, which they 157 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:14,440 Speaker 2: believe was the fatal blow. And then get this, she 158 00:08:14,560 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 2: has a part of her skull that she takes with 159 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:20,559 Speaker 2: her as almost a trophy and shows to folks. 160 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:22,960 Speaker 1: A lot of people would hear those details and say, oh, yeah, 161 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:27,600 Speaker 1: this woman doesn't deserve to live. And that's understandable, that's heinus. 162 00:08:27,640 --> 00:08:32,360 Speaker 1: There is no question there at all. Robes, but some 163 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:34,960 Speaker 1: of the and you've looked into and got into she 164 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:37,599 Speaker 1: had a very tough and some of her attorneys and 165 00:08:37,679 --> 00:08:39,400 Speaker 1: others who are advocating for her to not be on 166 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:43,040 Speaker 1: death row, she had a history robes of just a 167 00:08:43,080 --> 00:08:49,520 Speaker 1: horrific upbringing, mental illness, She had problems. Young lady had problems. 168 00:08:49,520 --> 00:08:51,720 Speaker 1: Now this is not excuse she made the choices she made, 169 00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:53,880 Speaker 1: but this is part of the argument that some are 170 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:56,520 Speaker 1: putting out. This is before she's making her legal arguments, 171 00:08:56,800 --> 00:09:01,479 Speaker 1: but just from a sympathetic standpoint. And eighteen, we don't 172 00:09:01,760 --> 00:09:06,000 Speaker 1: that often sentence people to death who are eighteen, nineteen, 173 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:06,680 Speaker 1: twenty years old. 174 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:09,640 Speaker 2: Yes, in fact, that exact range of age. I was surprised, 175 00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:12,280 Speaker 2: just looked it up. The state of Tennessee in modern 176 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:16,880 Speaker 2: history has not executed one person, male or female, who 177 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:20,520 Speaker 2: committed their crime at the age of eighteen, nineteen or twenty. 178 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:24,000 Speaker 2: So that is significant, maybe even more so than the 179 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:26,720 Speaker 2: fact that they haven't executed a woman in two hundred years. 180 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:30,080 Speaker 2: They haven't executed anybody who committed a crime that young. 181 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:31,320 Speaker 3: That's interesting. 182 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:33,559 Speaker 1: I mean you think about eighteen year old, yes, think 183 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:35,959 Speaker 1: about we got a thirteen year old and a nineteen 184 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:37,280 Speaker 1: year old in the house essentially, and. 185 00:09:37,520 --> 00:09:42,920 Speaker 4: They're babies, children, they are absolute children. Dus you're a 186 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:45,679 Speaker 4: nineteen year old at least is a child. Oh no, 187 00:09:46,080 --> 00:09:48,679 Speaker 4: she's a No, she is a child. 188 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:51,000 Speaker 2: And look when you think about a child who has 189 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:55,560 Speaker 2: been abused, neglected, sexually, physically, all of that four years 190 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:57,400 Speaker 2: and you have a mental illness on top of it, 191 00:09:57,480 --> 00:10:01,080 Speaker 2: and you're eighteen and I think she had just turned eighteen. 192 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:05,520 Speaker 2: Her boyfriend was seventeen. So these were kids, and again 193 00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:10,600 Speaker 2: does not excuse the viciousness of the crime. But you'll 194 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:13,040 Speaker 2: hear from her and where she is now, because when 195 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:15,800 Speaker 2: you're that young, it's not that you're not responsible. But 196 00:10:16,120 --> 00:10:19,480 Speaker 2: shouldn't that be taken into consideration when you were deciding 197 00:10:19,520 --> 00:10:20,440 Speaker 2: between life and death? 198 00:10:20,559 --> 00:10:22,640 Speaker 1: Well, I guess the jury did at the time. Right, 199 00:10:22,720 --> 00:10:25,200 Speaker 1: this is what our system allows, and this is what 200 00:10:25,440 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 1: justice looks like and these are the rules in that 201 00:10:28,920 --> 00:10:29,720 Speaker 1: regard Robes. 202 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:30,480 Speaker 3: I mean, have we. 203 00:10:30,520 --> 00:10:33,360 Speaker 1: Learned more since she was convicted? Have we done more research? 204 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:37,640 Speaker 1: Have we become frankly a little more averse to the 205 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:39,600 Speaker 1: death penalty? Have we become you know? 206 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:43,120 Speaker 2: So that that is part of her attorney's argument. Are 207 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:46,839 Speaker 2: in this lawsuit among the things, they say, you literally 208 00:10:46,960 --> 00:10:50,240 Speaker 2: nailed it. You nailed it. Her attorneys are arguing that 209 00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:52,600 Speaker 2: if she were tried today, she would not have been 210 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:56,000 Speaker 2: sentenced to death because of her age, her mental illness 211 00:10:56,080 --> 00:10:57,920 Speaker 2: at the time of the murder, and her history of 212 00:10:57,960 --> 00:11:01,280 Speaker 2: sexual abuse as a young child. Period a jury would 213 00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:03,800 Speaker 2: not have convicted her to death. That she would have 214 00:11:03,800 --> 00:11:07,440 Speaker 2: been convicted, but not to death. And in terms of 215 00:11:07,440 --> 00:11:12,920 Speaker 2: her lawsuit, her her attorneys are saying lethal injection method 216 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:16,480 Speaker 2: violates her religious beliefs and her constitutional right because she 217 00:11:16,520 --> 00:11:21,000 Speaker 2: says her execution could cause her unnecessary pain and added 218 00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:24,839 Speaker 2: terror and suffering, which is a violation of the Constitution 219 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:29,520 Speaker 2: which protects everyone against cruel and unusual punishment. They claim 220 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:34,440 Speaker 2: she has a condition, okay, it's called thrombocytosis, and it 221 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:37,720 Speaker 2: can lead to unusual bleeding, and they say death by 222 00:11:37,840 --> 00:11:41,320 Speaker 2: drowning in one's own blood. So because of this condition 223 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:45,240 Speaker 2: and the lethal injection, they. 224 00:11:45,160 --> 00:11:48,240 Speaker 1: Could, yes, be problematic. Yes, do they know for sure? 225 00:11:48,320 --> 00:11:50,680 Speaker 1: I mean, do they know she's going to suffer? 226 00:11:51,559 --> 00:11:54,720 Speaker 2: They say could? That is the word they used. And 227 00:11:54,760 --> 00:11:58,079 Speaker 2: then they also said okay, so and that's specific to 228 00:11:58,160 --> 00:12:01,240 Speaker 2: lethal injection. Then they're saying she can't request the only 229 00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:04,560 Speaker 2: other approved method of dying because in the state of Tennessee, 230 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:08,600 Speaker 2: because it would violate her Buddhist beliefs. Because her Buddhist 231 00:12:08,679 --> 00:12:11,760 Speaker 2: beliefs teach her that she is not allowed to participate 232 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:15,000 Speaker 2: in any process that would lead to her own death. 233 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:18,880 Speaker 2: So she can't choose the method of execution because that 234 00:12:18,920 --> 00:12:21,000 Speaker 2: would violate her Buddhist beliefs. And by the way, the 235 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:24,880 Speaker 2: only other method is electrocution. But she can't even make 236 00:12:24,920 --> 00:12:28,240 Speaker 2: that pivot, she claims, because it would violate her religious beliefs. 237 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:31,080 Speaker 2: That is the foundation of their lawsuit. 238 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:35,160 Speaker 1: Okay, so they have two basis for it, right, Yes, Okay, 239 00:12:35,360 --> 00:12:38,880 Speaker 1: So her medical condition and her religious beliefs should not 240 00:12:38,880 --> 00:12:39,920 Speaker 1: allow this to go forward. 241 00:12:39,920 --> 00:12:40,319 Speaker 3: Correct. 242 00:12:40,679 --> 00:12:43,600 Speaker 1: I don't know what chance she has here, but like 243 00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:47,520 Speaker 1: we say, she is actually doing this a lot, a 244 00:12:47,559 --> 00:12:50,040 Speaker 1: lot farther out from her execution than a lot of 245 00:12:50,080 --> 00:12:50,679 Speaker 1: inmates to do. 246 00:12:50,840 --> 00:12:52,960 Speaker 3: That's true, that's our scrambling last second. 247 00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:54,920 Speaker 2: So yes, that is a very good point. They are 248 00:12:54,960 --> 00:12:57,199 Speaker 2: laying the foundation now because if this doesn't work, I'm 249 00:12:57,200 --> 00:12:59,679 Speaker 2: sure they'll try something else and then something else. But 250 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:04,960 Speaker 2: this Eight's response, which they just put into evidence here, 251 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:08,320 Speaker 2: they say, yeah, they have not shown in any way 252 00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:12,040 Speaker 2: that lethal injection would present an unconstitutional risk to her. 253 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:15,600 Speaker 2: And then they said the Eighth Amendment does not guarantee 254 00:13:15,640 --> 00:13:18,960 Speaker 2: a prisoner a painless death, and that some risk of 255 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:23,520 Speaker 2: pain is inherent in any method of execution, no matter 256 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:28,000 Speaker 2: how humane. And they added, for a little fun, we 257 00:13:28,040 --> 00:13:31,240 Speaker 2: wish Pike's commitment to the sanctity of life had arrived 258 00:13:31,280 --> 00:13:35,000 Speaker 2: in time to save Colleen Slemmer. That shows you where 259 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:36,520 Speaker 2: they stand on her lawsuit. 260 00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:42,040 Speaker 1: How did you notice, like legal briefings and stuff are 261 00:13:42,040 --> 00:13:42,880 Speaker 1: getting snarkier. 262 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:46,760 Speaker 2: Yes, that's a really good point. Yes, so yes, the 263 00:13:46,840 --> 00:13:49,960 Speaker 2: state added a little snarky comment at the end. And 264 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:51,800 Speaker 2: we should point out because we always talk about what 265 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:57,400 Speaker 2: the victim's family wants. Colleen Slemmer's mom desperately wants Pike 266 00:13:57,559 --> 00:14:00,319 Speaker 2: to die, like wants her to die I'm going to 267 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:01,720 Speaker 2: give you the quote that she gave. 268 00:14:01,679 --> 00:14:03,319 Speaker 3: And the mom at this point has to be how 269 00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:04,280 Speaker 3: old this was? So long? 270 00:14:04,400 --> 00:14:05,680 Speaker 2: This was thirty years ago? 271 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:09,560 Speaker 1: Oh my goodness, I mean maybe sixty seventies at least. 272 00:14:09,440 --> 00:14:11,680 Speaker 2: Yes, at least she said. There is not a day 273 00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:14,920 Speaker 2: that goes by that I don't think about Colleen or 274 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:18,480 Speaker 2: how she died and how rough it was. I just 275 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:22,840 Speaker 2: want Krista down so I can end it, relieve my daughter, 276 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:27,040 Speaker 2: so she finally can be resting. There is no question 277 00:14:27,480 --> 00:14:33,160 Speaker 2: Colleen Slummer's mom wants Krista to die, and that last week. 278 00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:36,480 Speaker 2: I mean, it doesn't matter legally necessarily, but I do 279 00:14:36,520 --> 00:14:39,040 Speaker 2: think it matters just to know that that is the 280 00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:40,840 Speaker 2: wish of the victim. 281 00:14:41,080 --> 00:14:42,560 Speaker 3: You know it mattered that family. 282 00:14:42,600 --> 00:14:45,280 Speaker 1: I know you said legally it might not have some bearing, 283 00:14:45,320 --> 00:14:47,240 Speaker 1: but it'll have a bearing if it came down to 284 00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:50,840 Speaker 1: the governor deciding to sign or not sign a ford 285 00:14:50,920 --> 00:14:52,960 Speaker 1: or commute or whatever the sentence. 286 00:14:52,920 --> 00:14:54,800 Speaker 2: Might be, you make a very good chance. 287 00:14:54,800 --> 00:14:56,040 Speaker 3: I was letting her view be known. 288 00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:58,240 Speaker 1: And we have have we not seen some governors taken 289 00:14:58,280 --> 00:15:01,000 Speaker 1: to consideration here in the past year, Yes, and actually 290 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:04,680 Speaker 1: go with the families witches So that's pretty powerful. 291 00:15:04,760 --> 00:15:07,240 Speaker 2: Also powerful. When we come back, we're going to tell 292 00:15:07,280 --> 00:15:11,720 Speaker 2: you what Krista Pike has had to say now about 293 00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:17,720 Speaker 2: her crime. It's a very very I even given all 294 00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:21,480 Speaker 2: the horrific details of what this woman is convicted of 295 00:15:21,520 --> 00:15:25,320 Speaker 2: and has admitted to, hearing where she is now might 296 00:15:25,560 --> 00:15:28,400 Speaker 2: soften your stance on what you think should happen to her. 297 00:15:28,520 --> 00:15:30,480 Speaker 3: Come September and. 298 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:41,680 Speaker 2: Welcome back everyone to Amy and TJ Presents, where we 299 00:15:41,760 --> 00:15:45,760 Speaker 2: are talking about the execution of Christa Gail Pike. She 300 00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:49,120 Speaker 2: is fifty years old. She is set to be executed 301 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:52,760 Speaker 2: September thirtieth for a crime she committed thirty years ago, 302 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:57,320 Speaker 2: a vicious killing of a romantic rival. She was eighteen 303 00:15:57,960 --> 00:16:00,480 Speaker 2: at the time of the murder. Her victim was eighteen. 304 00:16:01,080 --> 00:16:05,760 Speaker 2: And here is what Krista Pike has said one in 305 00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:08,560 Speaker 2: a website that has been created by her supporter. She 306 00:16:08,760 --> 00:16:11,120 Speaker 2: This was her statement that is posted on her website 307 00:16:11,120 --> 00:16:14,120 Speaker 2: by folks who don't want to see her die. She says, 308 00:16:14,160 --> 00:16:16,840 Speaker 2: there is no excuse for what I did. I take 309 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:20,320 Speaker 2: full responsibility for my actions and regret everything that happened 310 00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:23,280 Speaker 2: that night. I only want my situation to be looked 311 00:16:23,320 --> 00:16:26,400 Speaker 2: at now through the eyes of logic instead of anger 312 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:29,560 Speaker 2: and answer the question of if I deserve to die 313 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:33,440 Speaker 2: for a crime committed by three people. She says this 314 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:36,160 Speaker 2: because her boyfriend got life in prison and the other 315 00:16:36,240 --> 00:16:40,040 Speaker 2: friend who was there testified and was given probation. 316 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:44,600 Speaker 1: The boyfriend, by the way, this just happened. He was 317 00:16:44,720 --> 00:16:50,320 Speaker 1: eligible for parole last year. He ain't getting out. I mean, 318 00:16:50,520 --> 00:16:53,720 Speaker 1: it's incredible to see she has an execution date set 319 00:16:53,840 --> 00:16:56,080 Speaker 1: up at the same time the other guy was eligible 320 00:16:56,080 --> 00:16:57,080 Speaker 1: to get the hell out of prison. 321 00:16:57,160 --> 00:17:01,840 Speaker 2: Isn't that wild? That's she was the one who did. 322 00:17:01,840 --> 00:17:04,600 Speaker 2: She was the vicious acts they stood by. He lured 323 00:17:04,600 --> 00:17:06,520 Speaker 2: her And look, in a lot of states, that wouldn't matter. 324 00:17:06,560 --> 00:17:09,879 Speaker 2: If you're a part of a crime and someone dies 325 00:17:09,960 --> 00:17:11,800 Speaker 2: in the act of that crime, you are still on 326 00:17:11,840 --> 00:17:16,280 Speaker 2: the hook for murder. But so that was that, not 327 00:17:16,400 --> 00:17:19,119 Speaker 2: that emotional, not that powerful. But the letter she wrote 328 00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:23,000 Speaker 2: to the Tennessee and is what moved me. She said, 329 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:25,719 Speaker 2: think back to the worst mistake you made as a 330 00:17:25,760 --> 00:17:30,000 Speaker 2: reckless teenager, while mine happened to be huge, unforgettable and 331 00:17:30,080 --> 00:17:33,639 Speaker 2: ruined countless lives. I was a mentally ill eighteen year 332 00:17:33,720 --> 00:17:37,280 Speaker 2: old kid. It took me numerous years to even realize 333 00:17:37,320 --> 00:17:40,320 Speaker 2: the gravity of what I'd done, and even more to 334 00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:44,080 Speaker 2: accept how many lives I affected. I took the life 335 00:17:44,119 --> 00:17:48,600 Speaker 2: of someone's child, sister, friend. It sickens me now to 336 00:17:48,640 --> 00:17:51,520 Speaker 2: think that someone as loving and as compassionate as myself 337 00:17:51,760 --> 00:17:54,240 Speaker 2: had the ability to commit such a crime. 338 00:17:54,840 --> 00:17:57,720 Speaker 1: I hear you and you broke. I will listen to 339 00:17:57,880 --> 00:18:01,920 Speaker 1: both sides who re that and say, you are full 340 00:18:01,960 --> 00:18:05,800 Speaker 1: of it. You've had time, you did the crime, this 341 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:09,080 Speaker 1: was the punishment, and justice has to be carried out. 342 00:18:09,280 --> 00:18:12,000 Speaker 1: I will listen to somebody else who said all of 343 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:14,400 Speaker 1: that is correct, and no matter if you think she's 344 00:18:14,600 --> 00:18:17,840 Speaker 1: just doing this to save her butt or not, as 345 00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:22,280 Speaker 1: a decent human and just some part pulls at your heartstring. 346 00:18:22,359 --> 00:18:26,040 Speaker 1: To have some grace or some sympathy for even a 347 00:18:26,080 --> 00:18:29,080 Speaker 1: person capable of pulling off as heinous of a crime. 348 00:18:29,160 --> 00:18:32,400 Speaker 3: Is that Robes. It is very difficult. Two. 349 00:18:33,640 --> 00:18:35,760 Speaker 1: I mean, Jesus did it. I guess right, So it 350 00:18:35,800 --> 00:18:38,800 Speaker 1: was pretty difficult to do. But to be forgiving of 351 00:18:38,920 --> 00:18:42,240 Speaker 1: someone in the face of the worst type of crime 352 00:18:43,480 --> 00:18:46,320 Speaker 1: who it asks a lot of a human being Robes 353 00:18:46,320 --> 00:18:48,800 Speaker 1: and certainly asks even more once you hear the statement 354 00:18:48,840 --> 00:18:50,439 Speaker 1: of her mother of the victims. 355 00:18:50,440 --> 00:18:53,119 Speaker 2: Stay yes, I mean yeah, you can never put yourself 356 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:58,040 Speaker 2: in her shoes, and I could never ever pass judgment 357 00:18:58,080 --> 00:19:01,040 Speaker 2: on how she feels or what she wants in terms 358 00:19:01,040 --> 00:19:04,240 Speaker 2: of justice for her daughter and for the pain, the 359 00:19:04,359 --> 00:19:07,040 Speaker 2: life of pain that she has had to endure missing 360 00:19:07,119 --> 00:19:10,440 Speaker 2: her daughter. I totally get that. I think it's interesting though, 361 00:19:10,480 --> 00:19:16,280 Speaker 2: when we've seen, especially folks on death row actually have 362 00:19:16,600 --> 00:19:19,840 Speaker 2: something of value to add. Maybe it's to other inmates, 363 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:24,000 Speaker 2: maybe it's to the lives of family members who are 364 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:26,840 Speaker 2: on the other side, who they can show as a 365 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:29,800 Speaker 2: cautionary tale, but at least offers some wisdom or some 366 00:19:29,840 --> 00:19:32,720 Speaker 2: guidance to prevent other people from going down that path. 367 00:19:33,119 --> 00:19:35,679 Speaker 2: That's the other side of it. Is there value? Is 368 00:19:35,720 --> 00:19:39,359 Speaker 2: there something they can still contribute should they be given 369 00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:42,960 Speaker 2: the opportunity of redemption and grace and to be able 370 00:19:43,000 --> 00:19:47,399 Speaker 2: to rehabilitate who they are and what they believe and 371 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:49,040 Speaker 2: who they stood for what they stood for. 372 00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:53,480 Speaker 3: You said redemption and grace. I guess for me and 373 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:55,120 Speaker 3: for a lot of people, that might be a higher bar. 374 00:19:56,160 --> 00:19:57,400 Speaker 3: I'm just talking mercy. 375 00:19:57,680 --> 00:19:59,639 Speaker 1: Yeah, And that's not seem to be something we have 376 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:04,440 Speaker 1: a high tolerance for these days broke just mercy. You 377 00:20:04,520 --> 00:20:07,520 Speaker 1: did what you did, but I am not going to 378 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:09,840 Speaker 1: be vengeful. I am not going to say you deserve 379 00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:14,520 Speaker 1: the same. I am going to grant mercy. And I 380 00:20:14,600 --> 00:20:16,680 Speaker 1: know it's not nothing to do with war and things 381 00:20:16,720 --> 00:20:19,160 Speaker 1: we're seeing, but we have a mindset or an attitude 382 00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:21,800 Speaker 1: or coming from the highest ranks in this country that 383 00:20:21,920 --> 00:20:26,199 Speaker 1: get a lot of attention. No mercy like making a 384 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:28,520 Speaker 1: game or a joke out of killing people that we 385 00:20:28,560 --> 00:20:29,600 Speaker 1: think are bad people. 386 00:20:30,680 --> 00:20:31,240 Speaker 3: It's a game. 387 00:20:31,280 --> 00:20:33,320 Speaker 1: The boats I can see the boats, all those hecks 388 00:20:33,359 --> 00:20:36,800 Speaker 1: have kept posting those videos looking blowing these guys out 389 00:20:36,800 --> 00:20:39,760 Speaker 1: of the water like it's fun, like it's a video game. 390 00:20:40,320 --> 00:20:43,959 Speaker 1: And so we don't seem like a merciful country, quite frankly, 391 00:20:45,920 --> 00:20:48,880 Speaker 1: asking for ropes. Can we extend that to anybody these days? 392 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:52,760 Speaker 2: Just mer It doesn't look like that's going to happen 393 00:20:53,119 --> 00:20:58,320 Speaker 2: for Pike, and certainly the lawsuit will follow it. But 394 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:04,040 Speaker 2: the state's response seemed to swift and fairly sound actually 395 00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:06,159 Speaker 2: in terms of what she is claiming and what they 396 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:10,200 Speaker 2: are stating. And of course we will follow any ruling 397 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:12,080 Speaker 2: that may come on this, but she's got some time. 398 00:21:12,119 --> 00:21:16,000 Speaker 2: There'll be other appeals, most certainly before September thirtieth. And 399 00:21:16,320 --> 00:21:19,600 Speaker 2: this is the state of Tennessee. Not sure what their 400 00:21:20,119 --> 00:21:24,439 Speaker 2: track record is on granting clemency to folks, but it 401 00:21:24,520 --> 00:21:26,760 Speaker 2: does happen. This is a pretty vicious crime. I think 402 00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:29,840 Speaker 2: her age, the fact that she was eighteen, the fact 403 00:21:29,840 --> 00:21:32,560 Speaker 2: that she was mentally ill and that has been diagnosed. 404 00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:37,040 Speaker 2: Don't know if that would be of consideration by this governor, 405 00:21:37,040 --> 00:21:41,560 Speaker 2: but she would be the nineteenth woman executed in modern 406 00:21:41,960 --> 00:21:45,159 Speaker 2: US history. This is also interesting. I didn't realize this. 407 00:21:45,240 --> 00:21:48,800 Speaker 2: There are forty eight female death row inmates in the 408 00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:53,399 Speaker 2: US right now still awaiting getting that execution date. Just 409 00:21:53,480 --> 00:21:57,560 Speaker 2: for comparison's sake, men, there are about twenty one hundred 410 00:21:57,600 --> 00:22:00,440 Speaker 2: men on death row right now in this country and 411 00:22:00,480 --> 00:22:02,720 Speaker 2: forty eight women on death row. 412 00:22:02,840 --> 00:22:05,800 Speaker 3: It's a very low percentage. And you talk of the other. 413 00:22:08,040 --> 00:22:12,080 Speaker 1: Women who have been who have gotten the death penalty 414 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:16,440 Speaker 1: for a crime the committed at eighteen, there are there 415 00:22:16,480 --> 00:22:16,880 Speaker 1: have been. 416 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:17,920 Speaker 3: She's the fourth. 417 00:22:18,400 --> 00:22:22,840 Speaker 1: One of them was exonerated, one of them was commuted, 418 00:22:22,960 --> 00:22:24,639 Speaker 1: and the other one is in California where there's a 419 00:22:24,640 --> 00:22:27,240 Speaker 1: moratory im one executions. So essentially, what you're talking about 420 00:22:27,280 --> 00:22:30,879 Speaker 1: eighteen year old women who committed crimes. There's only one 421 00:22:31,960 --> 00:22:35,000 Speaker 1: right now who is eligible to be killed in that 422 00:22:35,040 --> 00:22:38,360 Speaker 1: group since nineteen seventy six. She's the only one. Wow, 423 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:41,440 Speaker 1: She's the only one. One got cleared, one got commuted, 424 00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:45,160 Speaker 1: and one is in California. She's the only one right 425 00:22:45,200 --> 00:22:48,760 Speaker 1: now who has been convicted as a woman at eighteen 426 00:22:49,600 --> 00:22:50,639 Speaker 1: who's set to die. 427 00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:52,120 Speaker 3: Wow, she's the only one. 428 00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:55,760 Speaker 2: All right. Well, we will of course follow this case 429 00:22:55,840 --> 00:23:01,239 Speaker 2: through again. Her execution date September thirtieth, twenty six and 430 00:23:01,240 --> 00:23:04,480 Speaker 2: without everyone, We appreciate you listening to us. As always, 431 00:23:04,880 --> 00:23:08,040 Speaker 2: I made me robock On behalf of TJ. Holmes. We 432 00:23:08,080 --> 00:23:08,960 Speaker 2: will talk to you soon.