Christa Pike is asking a judge to intervene in her prison conditions, saying her continued isolation following a failed execution attempt is putting her health and safety at risk.
In a personal declaration filed alongside an emergency motion, Pike describes difficulties adjusting to life in prison after being discharged from a Nashville hospital on Oct. 9. She says she has already returned to the hospital’s emergency room once but was not admitted for additional inpatient treatment.
A copy of the declaration was obtained by PEOPLE.
Pike is seeking permission to participate in activities with other incarcerated women while remaining in an environment that accounts for her current medical condition.
Pike Describes Alleged Conditions in Isolation
Pike says she currently spends nearly all her time alone in the prison infirmary, with contact outside the unit largely limited to meetings with her legal team.
She also raises concerns about the conditions she is expected to manage while recovering. In her declaration, Pike says certain assigned responsibilities could expose her to additional medical complications.
Among her complaints is having to clean what she describes as a “roach-infested shower.”
She characterizes the situation as a “high risk of infection and further injury,” arguing that her present circumstances are affecting her ability to recover.
Why Pike Does Not Want to Return to Her Former Housing Unit
Although Pike wants to regain access to shared prison activities, she says returning to her previous housing pod would create additional safety concerns.
According to her declaration, the unit housed incarcerated women with histories of violence and disciplinary issues. Pike says she witnessed multiple assaults involving other inmates and correctional officers during the two years she lived there after entering into a settlement agreement.
She also describes witnessing individuals experiencing acute psychological breakdowns.
Pike argues that her current physical condition would leave her particularly vulnerable if she were returned to that environment.
“I could not defend myself or get away if another inmate attacked me,” she writes. “I am afraid that I will be seriously hurt if I am moved to that pod while I am this weak.”
Instead, she is asking to participate in ordinary communal activities, including meals, classes, religious services, recreational time and work assignments.
Court Sets Deadlines for Response
Pike’s legal team previously explained why it filed the request on an emergency basis, emphasizing the impact they believe continued isolation is having on her.
“The motion was filed on an emergency basis because each day of continued isolation causes further harm to Ms. Pike. It asks the court to order the State to end her isolation and restore the protections in the agreement as far as her medical needs and safety allow,” her attorneys said per CNN.
They also expressed hope that the matter could be resolved cooperatively in a way that addresses her health and well-being.
The defendants have until Nov. 4 to respond to the motion. Pike’s attorneys then have until Nov. 6 to submit a reply.
Why Pike Is in Prison
Pike was sentenced to death for the 1995 murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer.
Pike was 18 at the time of the killing. She and her boyfriend tortured Slemmer before stabbing her with a box cutter.
Her current legal request concerns her confinement conditions and access to other incarcerated women following her failed execution attempt. The court’s consideration of the emergency motion will determine whether changes to her current housing arrangements are ordered.
Christa Pike Raises Health and Safety Concerns Over Prison Isolation