Christa Gail Pike

 Background 

Christa Gail Pike is a convicted murderer. She and two others were responsible for the horrendous murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer in 1995. (Pictured below.)

Pike never denied her part in the murder and readily confessed to her crime when she was arrested. Her accomplices, Tadaryl Shipp and Shadolla Peterson, were sentenced to life without parole and 4 years' probation, respectively. Pike was sentenced to death. She was 18 years old when she committed the murder and 20 years old when she was sentenced to death. 

Pike came from a very troubled background; it seems she was raped as a child on several occasions. During her trial, her lawyer offered little mention of any mitigating circumstances, such as her being a victim of child sexual abuse, to the jury. Her current lawyers have been basing much of her recent appeals on this oversight and have pushed the idea that if the jury knew of her troubled background, she would have been sentenced to life in prison. 

In 2001, Pike tried to strangle fellow prisoner Patricia Jones and was given 25 additional years to serve concurrently with her death sentence as a consequence. She has been on death row for 30 years, while her appeals have been processed through the courts. 

The execution

On September 30, the state of Tennessee tried to execute Pike. After one dose of lethal drugs was administered, Pike was still alive and well and talking to the guards in the execution chamber; a second dose was administered, and although she passed into an unconscious state, she continued to breathe. Her lawyers immediately lodged an application in federal court to have the execution stopped and for medical aid to be rendered to Pike to save her life. This injunction was issued, and Pike was taken to hospital in an ambulance, where she remains at the time of writing this article.

Pike had insisted that death by lethal injection may be difficult to achieve in her case as she suffers from a medical condition that makes it difficult for her to have bloods taken, or intravenous injections given. It would seem that the results of her attempted execution would confirm this. 

A divisive issue

Capital punishment in the US is a divisive issue; some insist that it stops people from offending, others insist that crime statistics do not support that point of view. The 8th Amendment to the US Constitution requires that capital punishment not be applied in a cruel and unusual way and that it cannot be applied in an arbitrary or barbaric way. 

Since the failure of Christa Pike’s execution, the headlines have been fast and furious. An inquiry has been ordered; allegations of the use of out-of-date drugs and incompetent execution staff are all being bantered about, people are running for cover, and the State of Tennessee is in a very awkward position. 

Justice

One headline that drew my attention had to do with the failed execution bringing no justice to Colleen Slemmer’s family. Colleen Slemmer’s mother was quoted as saying, “It is an eye for an eye and Christa Pike needs to die, because she killed Colleen”.

It might surprise some to know that I support the death penalty, not for an eye for an eye, but from a philosophical perspective. The law must have an absolute standard, something where it has the ultimate power to take away someone’s life for a horrendous crime. Long and extra-long jail sentences sometimes are not enough. At one time, a life sentence was for life; then it got shortened to 25 years. Now they have life, which is still about 25 years and life without the possibility of parole, which is life. God has an absolute: the wages of sin is death. It is not the wages of some sins for which there will be a short detention followed by eternal life. So, I support the death penalty philosophically; however, I think we have to be wise in how we use it. An eye for an eye is not what Jesus said we should do; He said we were to love our neighbour and do good to those who are our enemies and oppressors. Matt 5:38-48

One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, 

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 

And He said to him, “ ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.

’ This is the great and foremost commandment. 

The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ 

On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” 

Matt. 22:35-40

Love your enemies. 

There is no doubt some cases where the death penalty applies. If Hitler had lived, do you think he would have been executed for his crimes, or, like Napoleon, be sent to the Island of St Helena to live out his days in exile? I think He would have been executed. However, even Hitler would have been cared for whilst in jail. Saddam Hussein, when he was caught, was taken to jail and was given a full medical examination by US Army doctors, not just left to rot in a cell. The reason, because we love our enemies.

We carry out death sentences with care and respect because we love our enemies and do good to those who do bad things to the members of our family and us. The reason prisoners have healthy meals and health care in jail is also because we love our enemies. The reason we do not apply the death penalty in a cruel or unusual way is also that we love our enemies.

There have been numerous occurrences of parents whose children have been murdered, contacting the murderer, forgiving them, visiting them in jail, and actively campaigning for their eventual release and helping with their rehabilitation. I think this is what Jesus is talking about. 

Where is God in this?

Back to Christa Pike. While many are playing the blame game and pointing the finger, I think we all need to take a step back and look at the situation in a new light. Christa Pike is a professing Buddhist; on that execution gurney, she was a few minutes away from going to Hell. Is it not possible that God had a hand in both doses of execution drugs failing because He wanted to give Christa Pike more time to repent and believe the Gospel? Could the failure of the execution be a merciful act of God to an undeserving sinner?! (Sound familiar?)

It is unknown at this point whether they will try to execute Christa Pike again. Her physical state is not known. She may have received brain or other physical damage from the execution drugs. Some would argue based on the failed execution that to try again would be cruel and unusual punishment. There will be a lot of legal filings in the weeks and years to come. 

Coleen Slemmer’s family are demanding justice and believe that Pike’s execution is the only way they will see justice done. But Justice is not retribution or vengeance; it is a punishment that matches the crime once all the facts are considered. 

We get too tangled up when we seek revenge. It becomes an emotional issue, and strong emotions against another person are a recipe for unwise decisions and actions. That is why God says, don’t do it! 

If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. 

Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord. 

“BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.” 

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:18-21

Perhaps Coleen Slemmer’s family can take comfort that Pike has been in jail for 30 years. She has not been able to have a career, a marriage, a family, or a holiday. She has been confined to a small cell for most of her waking hours. She cannot shop for clothes, but she can only wear a prison uniform. She continues to suffer daily for her crime, and probably will continue to do so until the day she dies. All of these consequences are just for her because of her crimes. 

Those who have known her in prison say that she has become a kind and caring person, so despite her horrendous crimes, Pike seems to have had some change in herself. She just needs to know Jesus. I am praying for Christa Pike that she will meet her saviour before she dies and have her sins forgiven. I’m praying too for Coleen Slemmer’s family, that they would receive the Father’s comfort and be able to move on. Unforgiveness unchecked can lead to bitterness. Hebrews 12:15 Forgiveness will free them into their future. Although their daughter is dead, they will be able to live again.

Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 

And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 

When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 

The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’  Matt. 25:37-40 

Two Kings

Saul

In the Old Testament, we are told of the two lines of Kings that ruled over Israel. Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin, and David was from the tribe of Judah.

Saul’s appointment is curious, as it was prophesied in Genesis 49:10 that the line of Kings would come from the tribe of Judah. That perhaps is the subject best left for another day.

Saul seemed a humble man at first. The record of his anointing and selection is found in 1Sam. 10.

Saul became a great leader and won significant battles, but it all came undone when he trusted his own gut and feared a drop in popularity rather than obey God. 

The first signs that Saul was unstable as a leader was when he stepped into the role that only a priest could do, and in order to bring order in the military ranks, he offered a sacrifice that Samuel was supposed to offer. When Samuel arrived, this is what he said to Saul.

Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, for now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 

But now your kingdom shall not endure. The LORD has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has appointed him as ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.” 1Sam 13:13-14

Later on, God told Saul to obliterate Amalek and to leave nothing. Saul and the people allowed the king of Amalek to live and kept the best of the sheep and cattle. Saul did not obey, and God rejected Saul because of his disobedience and sent Samuel to him to let him know he was fired. After beating Amalek, Saul had got busy and set up a monument to himself. 

When Saul eventually hears what Samuel has to say, he protests his innocence of wrongdoing, to which Samuel replies,

“What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?” 1Sam 15:14

Samuel refuses to take responsibility for his actions and blames the people. To which Samuel replies, 

“Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices

As in obeying the voice of the LORD?

Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,

And to heed than the fat of rams.

“For rebellion is as the sin of divination,

And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry.

Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,

He has also rejected you from being king.” 1Sam 15:22-23.

Only then does Saul admit he has sinned, and after tearing Samuel’s garment then insists that Samuel still publicly honour him by accompanying him to the ceremony they are about to have. He wanted Samuel to pretend nothing was wrong.

So, Saul was a man who interpreted the word of the Lord through his gut instinct, which led to partial obedience, which is never acceptable to God. He built memorials to himself and demanded personal loyalty from those around him, and wanted public honour even when he was wrong. In the Bible, there is no record of Saul being deeply repentant of his sins.

David

David was Saul’s replacement. He was from the tribe of Judah and was selected and anointed as King in Bethlehem whilst he was still a young shepherd. God described him as a man after His own heart in 1Sam. 13:14.

The record of David’s selection and anointing is found in 1Sam 16:12-14

David, although only young, was the man God sought to be king. At the time, Samuel looked through David’s brothers, seeking a new king. Saul noted their height and strength, but God told Samuel,

“Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1Sam 16:7

David’s journey to the throne room was long and arduous, but he never lost sight of the fact that Saul was the anointed King and God would have to take him off the throne before David could rule.

We should be mindful that David was probably about 15 years old when he was anointed, and 30 years old when he became king. So there were 15 years of Saul's poor leadership before God allowed the changeover. Although the spiritual anointing was lifted from Saul and rested on David at the time of David’s anointing,  there was still a journey to be had before temporal reality lined up with spiritual reality. David did not push the point; he waited for God.

Once in power, David had many great victories, but built no monuments to himself.

God saw in David a man who had a heart after Him. When David became King, he was far from perfect, and he made major mistakes and sinned greatly. The most obvious being the affair with Bathsheba, his friend's wife. She fell pregnant, and David tried to cover things up by killing her husband and quickly marrying her, ostensibly to raise up children in his friend's memory. But God saw everything and sent Nathan the prophet to confront David. David acknowledged his sin. God judged him, and the result was the death of the child and the later rebellion of Absalom. David’s repentant response was recorded in Psalm 51.

So David sought the Lord, acknowledged his sin, repented deeply, sought no monument or personal recognition and did not demand personal honouring or loyalty. 

There was also the issue of the census he took in 2Samuel 24.

History remembers David’s reign in a much better light than Saul’s. Saul’s fear of man, his "go with my gut" approach, and his demand for honour and loyalty were his undoing because they took him away from doing what God specifically asked him to do. Any good that he did was overwhelmed by his disobedience to the word of the Lord and his later reliance on the occult to try to hear the word of the Lord. (1Sam. 28:7-10) David is remembered not for his sins, but for the way he retreated to God and confessed his sins when he strayed from God’s path.

How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,

Whose sin is covered!

How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity,

And in whose spirit there is no deceit!

When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away

Through my groaning all day long.

For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;

My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer.

Selah.

I acknowledged my sin to You,

And my iniquity I did not hide;

I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD”;

And You forgave the guilt of my sin.

Selah. Psalm 32:1-5

Our governance

Today our governance is elected; it does not come by birthright. We choose or re- choose our ruler every few years. Paul writes in Romans 13:1

Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Romans 13:1

So, when our selection, or re-selection, of a leader happens in an election, we need to trust that God, who is greater than any leader of any government, is still in control. Even if the person elected is not the one we voted for. Rebellion is not God’s way of doing things. We can re-choose in a few years' time. Lies and baseless accusations are also not God’s way of doing things. It is how the devil operates; it’s the way the devil used to get Jesus a death sentence, and the devil, according to Jesus, is a liar and the father of all lies. (John 8:44)

We should not be reactionary to political propaganda but rather be looking to God and seeking his will in the situation. Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount. 

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matt.6:33-34

However, all this being said, I think we can say any nation’s leaders can have a tendency to be like Saul or be like David. If you were to look at your nation's leader, how would you rank them as a Saul or a David?