Woman Facing Tennessee’s First Female Execution in 200 Years Feels ‘Kinship’ With Lindsay Clancy

Tennessee death row inmate Christa Pike says she has found an unexpected sense of connection with Massachusetts mother Lindsay Clancy.

In an interview published Monday, September 28 — two days before she is scheduled to be executed — Pike opened up about the parallels she sees between their two cases and the shared struggles she believes women have long faced in having their mental health truly understood.

Pike, now 50, told British newspaper The Times that she feels a “kinship” with Lindsay, whose murder trial ended in a mistrial on September 4 after jurors could not agree on whether she was criminally responsible for the deaths of her three children.

“I feel a kinship with Lindsay,” Pike told the publication. “We are both females who got into trouble because of uniquely female issues.”

Pike also pointed to what she sees as a shift in how women’s mental health issues are understood. “One thing is different, however, is that times have changed a lot on awareness of women’s issues since I was put on trial,” she said.

She also reacted to the mistrial and said, “I am pleased she received a mistrial and is getting the help she needs. There are so many women who don’t get the help they need: me and others.”

Pike was 18 when she was charged in connection with the 1995 killing of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer in Knoxville, according to Washington Post. She was convicted the following year and sentenced to death.

NBC News reported that her attorneys have argued that her age, history of severe childhood trauma and mental health conditions were not adequately considered during her trial.

According to the Tennessee Department of Correction, Pike’s execution is scheduled for Wednesday, September 30, at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville. If carried out, she would become the first woman executed in Tennessee in more than 200 years.

NBC affiliate WBIR reported that Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee declined to grant clemency on Monday, September 28. Pike’s attorneys have also asked the U.S. Supreme Court to stay the execution.

Lindsay’s case remains unresolved following the mistrial. As Globe previously reported, Lindsay’s attorney, Kevin Reddington, asked Judge William Sullivan to throw out the case, arguing there was not enough evidence to support the charges and saying she never admitted killing her three children, Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months.

Prosecutors strongly opposed the argument in court. Lindsay shares her three late children with her then-husband, Patrick Clancy.

Lindsay has pleaded not guilty to three murder charges in the deaths of her children.