James Crowson

“He’s still in prison, but hasn’t been subjected to the death penalty.”

James Crowson · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-05

Crowson noted that Pike's co-defendant Shipp, who was 17 at the time of the crime, received life imprisonment instead of the death penalty.

“Would it have made a difference? I don’t know. There are a lot of people who feel very strongly, and her crime was grisly and horrifying.”

James Crowson · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-05

Crowson questioned whether omitted evidence about Pike's background would have changed the outcome, noting her crime was grisly and horrifying.

“there was a lot that was left out”

James Crowson · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-05

Crowson said important evidence was omitted at the time of Pike's conviction.

“I think we as a nation have a strange relationship with mental illness,”

James Crowson · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-05

Crowson said he hopes Pike's case prompts the government to examine the death penalty, noting a pattern with unaccounted trauma and mental illness.

“The state comes up with a protocol and, typically, states that are inclined to impose the death penalty don’t really include medicine or science in the discussions when they’re coming up with these protocols,”

James Crowson · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-05

Crowson said that states developing execution protocols typically do not include medicine or science in the discussions.

“just seems like an arbitrary number”

James Crowson · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-05

Crowson said the age of 18 that was decisive for Pike's death sentence seems arbitrary given the small age gap with her co-defendant.

“She’s a few months older than the young man that was engaged in the same conduct, and she’s been fighting for her life now for 32 years,”

James Crowson · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-05

Crowson contrasted Pike's death sentence with the life imprisonment of her younger co-defendant Tadaryl Shipp.

“I knew that there were a number of defense filings saying that she had compromised veins, and that was going to be a difficult and perhaps cruel procedure for her because it was going to put her at risk for exactly what happened.”

James Crowson · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-05

Crowson said defense filings had warned that Pike's compromised veins would make execution dangerous and potentially cruel.

“I never saw the Christa that committed those crimes that put her in prison,”

James Crowson · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-05

Crowson said the person he knew during post-conviction appeals bore little resemblance to the teenager who committed the crime.

“Whenever you have a disaster like this, there’s going to be some fallout.”

James Crowson · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-05

Crowson said the resignation of Tennessee Department of Correction commissioner Frank Strada was a predictable consequence of the botched execution.

“That person exists, obviously.”

James Crowson · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-05

Crowson acknowledged that the person who committed the crimes exists, even though he never saw that side of Pike.

“It’s just so often discounted and mocked. It’s unfortunate.”

James Crowson · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-05

Crowson lamented that mental illness is often discounted and mocked in the nation's relationship with it.

“Well, I can’t say I’m surprised,”

James Crowson · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-05

Crowson, who represented Pike during part of her post-conviction appeals, reacted to Tennessee's failed execution attempt on 30 September.