The botched execution of Christa Pike in Tennessee last week was an abomination, barbaric, a disgrace, immmoral, unethical in every way imaginable.
This is not saying that Christa Pike’s murder of Colleen Slemmer in Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1995 is to be excused, far from it.
But a male who was 17, while Pike was 18, avoided such a punishment, all because of being, technically, under age.
But Pike has not had an easy life in prison, most of the time, in solitary, having little human contact for the past 30 years.
Her execution was against the 8th Amendment, denunciation of “cruel and unusual punishment”, and nothing will bring Colleen Slemmer back to life.
Slemmer’s mother is bitter, understandably, but having such hate for 30 years is also unhealthy, and execution will not fully satisfy her, but it is time to say that continued life imprisonment, much of it in solitary, is more of a punishment than killing her.
And since the botched attempt, it is outrageous that Tennessee would again consider executing Pike, and whatever court is necessary to intervene, should do so.
The death penalty never resolves the ultimate issue of accountability, as much as life in prison without parole, and there are plenty of cases where such a strong punishment is never administered.
It is disturbing how many “Law and Order” conservatives, who often break the law when convenient, including killing of innocents by government and military authority, are so gung ho over executions, and although, not in this particular case, is more often utilized against racial and religious minorities.