Christa Pike’s Tennessee execution halted by court an hour before it was scheduled

Published September 30, 2026 10:38am ET | Updated September 30, 2026 10:57am ET



A federal appeals court halted the planned execution of Christa Pike, 50, in Tennessee on Wednesday an hour before it was scheduled to take place.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit stayed the execution until further notice. The judges said they want to review whether her allegations of sexual abuse and rape as a child were fully considered before she was sentenced to death.

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