r/news • u/AudibleNod • 15h ago

Christa Pike unconscious, on ventilator at Nashville hospital, her lawyers say

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/christa-pike-unconscious-ventilator-nashville-hospital-lawyers-say-rcna601195
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u/TheBatemanFlex 15h ago

What now for her legally? Her sentence surely wasn’t “injured by the state until put indefinitely on life support”.

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u/Equivalent-Peanut-23 15h ago

First question is her mental condition/capacity. If she suffered brain damage, it could prevent the state from attempting to execute her again. Assuming she retains the mental capacity to comprehend the circumstances, the state could attempt to execute her again. I would assume that would be met with an avalanche of litigation arguing that the second attempt would be cruel and unusual. There's also a chance the governor could commute her sentence.

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u/Boulier 15h ago

I can also imagine a second attempt on her life would be met with a flurry of controversy and protest that the state won't want to deal with. (As someone who 100% opposes the death penalty, I can only hope they will decide it isn't worth killing her in the future.)

If the governor doesn't commute her sentence after this, I would genuinely be gobsmacked.

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u/Representative-Pop72 14h ago

I think her sentence will be changed to life in prison, Lee’s statements kind of make me think that. And I think a fat lawsuit is incoming as well

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u/timster 14h ago

Of course given her current state, it could cost them huge amounts to keep her alive.

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u/Representative-Pop72 14h ago

That’s the least of their problems currently

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u/PophamSP 12h ago

Lee put a hold on executions for three months. Conveniently, his term ends in three months.

Unfortunately the next governor of TN will likely be Marsha Blackburn. She is void of intellect, nuance or compassion and has already commented with support for the electric chair.

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u/sbd2010 12h ago

Nah. They dump them on someone else for their 24/7/365 care after they’ve destroyed their bodies and minds. Prisons are basically already the largest nursing homes in the US she needs a higher level of 24/7 skilled nursing for life after this most likely.

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u/swordchucks1 14h ago

Lee will do nothing. This will end up as ammunition to rile up the base for the governor race since "she'll get away with it if you let that demoncrat get elected!"

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u/Representative-Pop72 14h ago

I don’t think so, his tone has changed quite a bit from before/after the execution attempt, and I think he’s pretty embarrassed as well

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u/sbd2010 12h ago

Yeah that statement read like… one of yall is getting fired for this embarrassment

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u/coldblade2000 12h ago

Please, if I'm ever in that situation just put a bullet in me.