Pike does not deny committing the killing, but her supporters argue the state should consider Pike’s age at the time, mental illness and a history of severe sexual abuse that included being raped from the time she was a toddler. Assistant Federal Defender Stephen Ferrell said Pike’s death sentence is an outlier because other 18-year-olds in Tennessee have had such sentences vacated.
After the killing, Pike was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. In her clemency petition she said she only wanted to fight Slemmer but killed her in a frenzied attack when she couldn’t “put the brakes on.”
I can’t know what it’s like for others, I get that, but reading that the mother of the murdered 19 year old is upset that the execution was halted hits me sideways. A crime that took place 30 years ago by an 18 year old and this mother who is likely in her 60s at least thirsts for the blood of the woman who committed the crime at age 18. And it’s not like they are releasing her, if she is not executed she’ll be imprisoned for the rest of her life (as she doesn’t currently have the possibility of parole). How can this possibly be a positive benefit in her elderly years? That said I am as far removed from this as you can be. Although we have had murder in my family (a minor cousin killing his sister) and I had no desire to see him executed. I know it’s not the same.
How can this possibly be a positive benefit in her elderly years?
I’m not a parent, but I’ve seen something in parents that lose a child (that grew up enough to have a personality and experiences). They are forever injured. Its something they never heal from. The hurt never goes away from the loss. I can only imagine the child being murdered would amplify this.
I am not a parent, which means I’ve never been in a position to lose a child to murder, but your question does come across with, I believe, an unintended arrogance, to tell an elderly parent that it “[isn’t] a positive benefit” to be focusing on the murderer of her child.
So what, mom should just get over the fact that her kid was tortured and beat to death? Easy for you to say.
I don’t think it’s about getting over it. It’s been 30 years. The woman that murdered her child 30 years ago isn’t the same woman anymore. Eye for an eye leaves us all blind. There is no justice at this point executing her.
So you don’t disagree with hte death penalty, just that it took a while? So it, like, expires?
My wife was just explaining that the body of her child is being held for evidence. Theoretically, the case would be closed after the execution and the body could be returned and buried.
I’m no expert on the case, but I could imagine the frustration of waiting for that for 30 years, only to have it yanked away minutes before.
All I’m saying is it might be bloodthirst, but it also may be just general frustration at the long, drawn-out process.
Not the body, the fragment of her skull that she broke off when she killed her.
Also it has been returned.
Slemmer’s mother, May Martinez, confirmed that after sixteen years of fighting and writing letters, she had received the missing skull fragment from the state of Tennessee.
Moving to have this as just life in prison would also accomplish this though. She could have asked for that at any point in this 30 year stretch.
I’m not sure why the court has decided this now rather than at some time during the preceding decades that she spent on death row.
No kidding. This should have been reviewed over the last 30 years or more. Not 1 hour before the fucking execution is set to take place. How was that not cruel and unusual punishment?
I read yesterday that her boyfriend got life with the possibility of parole for the same crime. He was 17. I know our justice system isn’t a precision machine and two trials are likely to vary wildly in procedure and outcome. But still… that’s got so sting.
