In response to the state of Tennessee’s senseless pursuit of the death penalty and the attempted execution of Christa Pike, Justin Mazzola, Deputy Director of Research with Amnesty International USA said:
“Tennessee’s attempted, but botched, execution of Christa Pike was an extreme display of cruelty and the latest reminder that the death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment.
“Governor Lee had the power to stop this execution before it reached this point. Yet he appallingly chose not to. To make matters worse, the state of Tennessee rushed toward the execution even after a circuit court issued a temporary stay to give time to look into claims that the severe childhood sexual abuse and trauma Ms. Pike experienced were not adequately presented during her trial. It shouldn’t have gotten this far.
“This is the second time in less than five months that Tennessee has botched an execution, with Tony Carruthers having a similar experience in May. Not only does Tennessee have an extended history of botched executions, but its authorities have pursued executions also by shrouding in secrecy its lethal injection process. The extraordinary display of cruelty is emblematic of why the death penalty must be immediately abolished. There is no humane way for the state to kill someone. The death penalty system is broken beyond repair. It is a violation of human rights, and no government should have the power to carry it out.
“Governor Lee has said he will pause all executions, but that does not go nearly far enough. He must grant both Ms. Pike and all those on death row clemency and commute their sentences. He must also establish an indefinite moratorium on all executions, not just for a few months. Yesterday’s harrowing spectacle must spark a new determination to work to move the state of Tennessee to abolish the death penalty once and for all.
“As the death penalty continues to decline around the world, the United States remains increasingly isolated. It is long past time for Tennessee and the United States to stop executing people under the guise of justice and banish this cruel punishment to the history books.”
Additional information about the death penalty in the U.S.
Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases without exception – regardless of who is accused, the nature of the crime or if they are guilty or innocent.
In 2025, the U.S. carried out 47 executions in 11 states, reaching the highest they’ve been since 2009. Florida drove the spike with 19 executions. South Carolina, Texas, and Alabama followed with five executions in each state. Other states that used the death penalty were Tennessee (3), Arizona (2), Indiana (2), Mississippi (2), Oklahoma (2), Missouri (1) and Louisiana (1). The U.S. was among the top five highest executing countries of 2025.
So far in 2026, there have been 29 executions in the U.S. Tennessee has executed 11 people since 2018. As of today, 113 countries have abolished the death penalty for all crimes and 145 are abolitionist in law or practice.
Contact: [email protected]