In her first public statement since the failed execution, Christa Pike said she never considered life beyond her execution date and was ready to die, but woke up alone and confused in a hospital bed.
The gubernatorial forum took place Tuesday, Oct. 27.
“Lines have been drawn across neighborhoods, separating people who share streets, schools, churches and hopes for their children. But we are still one Memphis. And when the election is over, we will still be neighbors.”
Also in the political roundup, Jerri Green votes early, Marsha Blackburn returns to the culture wars, Molder and Hatcher share a stage in Spring Hill and Mayor Paul Young touts violence intervention without the Task Force.
Nominees to represent Tennessee’s 5th District faced questions about ICE, war in Iran at event in Spring Hill.
With early voting underway in Shelby County, federal officials touted the Memphis Safe Task Force while Democratic congressional nominees vowed to scrutinize the operation.
None of the nine state appointees poised to take control of the Memphis-Shelby County Schools system will say whether they intend to act on the superintendent hiring timeline included in documents most of them voted to accept. Related content:
A 32-year-old man is facing vehicular homicide and other charges following a high-speed pursuit with law enforcement on Wednesday.
New campaign finance reports filed this week show independent candidate for Tennessee governor David Hatley’s self-financed campaign is up to $12 million.
Takeover board Chair Billy Orgel’s sworn statement is expected to lift a three-month hold on the state’s takeover of Memphis-Shelby County Schools. But its unclear if the board’s new plans will capture all expenses it should review under state law.
Also in the political roundup, Tennessee’s GOP chairman talks about midterm trends, Justin J. Pearson’s ban letter goes public before he gets a copy and breaking ground for the new OUTMemphis center comes with culture war impact.
Tamarques Porter and Sable Otey, two MSCS board members recently elected as this year’s chair and vice chair respectively, say they’re confident they can weather the storm.
Christa Pike, who survived Tennessee’s attempt to execute her by lethal injection, has been moved back to prison, her attorneys said Saturday.
Heidi Kuhn, 8th Congressional District Democratic nominee, discusses her challenge of Republican incumbent David Kustoff on ‘Behind The Headlines.’
“A clean Republican sweep in Tennessee, while still likely, is no longer an automatic slam dunk.”
UTHSC and elected officials broke ground Thursday on a new College of Medicine Interdisciplinary Building that aims to recruit prospective students and address a physician shortage.
A consulting firm that worked with Houston’s school system during its takeover has quietly played a key role in readying the state-appointed board to resume control of Memphis-Shelby County Schools.
The meeting comes less than a week after a judge said he “didn’t mean to imply” the oversight board couldn’t do its work with a July 1 order, which MSCS and the state interpreted as a temporary halt.
Christa Pike survived two doses of pentobarbital as Tennessee officials attempted to put her to death.
At least two people have died in pursuits since the MSTF arrived. Advocates are calling for clearer policies and required reporting.
Also in the political roundup, Blackburn talks about affordability, Hagerty’s letter as Jack Smith testifies in the insurrection case, and the difficult mechanics of write-in voting.
Gov. Bill Lee said that Department of Correction Commissioner Frank Strada will step down this month.
Hospital staff, her lawyers said, were working to save Pike’s life and, as of late Thursday, were trying to clear the two doses of the drug the state uses to execute prisoners.
It is unclear what the judge’s clarification from the bench on Friday, Oct. 2, may mean for control of Tennessee’s largest school system.
Jonah Neal was shot and killed by a member of the Memphis Safe Task Force, who arrived after Neal’s mother called 911 saying her son was threatening to commit suicide with a handgun. For those who were close to Neal, none of it makes sense.
Christa Pike is in critical condition at the hospital where she was taken after Wednesday night’s failed execution.
A death penalty expert said it was an unprecedented failure, and Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee halted the one remaining execution for the rest of the year.
A federal appeals court halted the execution of Christa Pike about an hour before it was set to begin Wednesday.
Christa Pike was 18 years old when she killed a classmate in a jealous rage and became one of the youngest women to be sent to death row.