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Should Christa Pike be released from prison? (thelemmy.club)
submitted 17 hours ago by to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world
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So my thinking here is this: she was sentenced to death, she received her punishment (failed execution), sentence can be considered complete?

I dont know much about US/Tennessee law but it would seem that she is in uncharted territory - having survived execution - and is a bit of a headache for the legal system? Are there any other cases like this and what happened?

My thinking is very liberal/European (I dont support capital punishment anyway) but providing she is no longer a risk to society - just release her. If it can be proved she is a risk, transfer her to a low security prison?

FYI: Christa Pike

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[–] 30 points 17 hours ago (10 children)

No, she still tortured and killed a teenage girl.

I think they should commute her sentence to life, though.

She didn't just take a life, she deliberately and cruelly took a life; it was planned and she wanted to make it hurt. This isn't someone you want to let back on the streets.

The question is: would YOU take her in and let her stay with YOUR kids? I think most people would not.

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  • [–] 3 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago) (2 children)

    Ctx for people who haven't read the article: she was 18 when she tortured and killed a 19yo girl with her boyfriend. They were legally adults (in most jurisdictions) and she was a similar age to the victim. Saying she "killed and tortured a teenager" is intentionally loaded language.

    I choose to believe that rehabilitation is possible for every person, no matter the original circumstances. Ideally, everyone should be given the chance to live as freely as possible. Obviously, there has to be a process, there has to be some accountability and safety; but I don't think precluding that as an option categorically at the moment of sentencing is right or just.

    I can't speak to her state of mind or risk to society specifically, but that's the position I hold in general.

    However, with what I know of the American "justice" system and how capitalist societies are structured and how they treat people with criminal records: I doubt that is the case for many long-term inmates... The situation is regrettable, but the existing 'correctional' institutions in America appear to create more problems than they solve. But ideally, yes; if she had been rehabiliated, she should be slowly reintroduced into society.

    However however, with all that said... The argument that "she was sentenced to be executed and the execution was botched, therefore she should be let go" is a bad argument.

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  • [–] 2 points 6 hours ago (1 child)

    Some people are beyond rehabilitation and may or may not admit it themselves, they still deserve to be treated well even if they can't have much freedom to keep people around them safe.

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  • [–] 1 point 4 hours ago*

    Absolutely. It doesn't mean we should try or that we as a society should make them suffer. Punishment for the sake of inflicting pain and getting revenge is not useful; it accomplishes nothing.

    There will be people who just cannot be rehabilitated for one reason or another; they refuse or are unable to act appropriately and function in society without causing harm. That just means they need to be kept separate from society and their freedom is restricted.

    But I don't think that decision should be made at the moment of sentencing. In fact, the very concept of sentencing is a little suspicious, and is fraught with inconsistencies and contradictions; people getting more time for weed possession than rape or white-collar crime that ruined dozens of lives. Frankly, I even think the very concept of "doing time" being seen as 'paying a debt to society' is very flawed. But I digress. Yes; they deserve humane treatment and decency. The point is to protect and correct. Anything else is just sadism.

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  • [–] [S] 10 points 14 hours ago (2 children)

    she still tortured and killed a teenage girl

    Yes, and she's served her time.

    She didn't just take a life, she deliberately and cruelly took a life; it was planned and she wanted to make it hurt.

    But you can't automatically assume that she's beyond rehabilitation.

    This isn't someone you want to let back on the streets.

    Is that your knee-jerk opinion or that of trained professionals?

    would YOU take her in and let her stay with YOUR kids?

    Of course not. Do you let random strangers into your home and around your kids?

    I think most people would not.

    Well you'd hope so. But as long as it could be proven she didn't pose a risk to the general public I'd be fine with her being released.

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  • [–] 1 point 11 hours ago (1 child)

    Does the teenage girl she killed get to come back to life? Or is she still dead?

    So you wouldn't let her stay with you, but you'd release her into a community with other people you don't have to answer to and aren't responsible for.

    I'm not sure anyone is or isn't beyond rehabilitation. I'd leave that to professionals.

    I wouldn't trust her around my people, so I wouldn't impose her upon yours (or someone else's). That's all. I'm professional nothing other than Internet commentator, more or less same as I assume you are.

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  • [–] 8 points 14 hours ago (1 child)

    While being a stupid kid herself. She is not the same person anymore and I believe she deserves to be set free

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  • [–] 2 points 8 hours ago

    I kinda think of this as what would the sentence have looked like somewhere else?

    I'm guessing something like life with 25 years non-parole. So after 30 years in prison so far, she should probably be allowed parole if she meets the normal requirements.

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