Christa Pike is due to be executed within days after being convicted of killing a fellow student in 1995, while her lawyers argue that she should be granted clemency and would not receive a death sentence if the crime happened today.
Pike’s defence team says she should be regarded as a victim too. The argument forms part of their appeal for clemency as the execution approaches.
The lawyers also contend that changes in sentencing standards mean Pike would not be sentenced to death for the same crime today. Their claim places the focus on whether the punishment remains appropriate under present-day circumstances.
The available information identifies the victim as a fellow student and places the killing in 1995. It does not provide further details about the case, the grounds for the conviction, or the specific reasons cited by the defence in support of its claim that Pike is also a victim.
At this time, Pike’s lawyers are seeking clemency before the execution, which the available information says is expected within days. No outcome of that request is provided.
