Reposted by Greg Lipper
a competent opposition party would loudly tie the death of Hastert, the longtime republican speaker and child molester, to the current iteration of the republican party which continues to support and protect abusers of women and children, but alas
![SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
No. 26A428
KENNETH NELSEN, WARDEN v. CHRISTA GAIL PIKE
ON APPLICATION TO VACATE STAY
[September 30, 2026]
The application to vacate stay of execution of sentence of death presented to JUSTICE KAVANAUGH and by him referred to the Court is granted. The September 30, 2026 order of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Cir-cuit, case No. 26-5864, granting a stay of execution is vacated.
JUSTICE SOTOMAYOR, with whom JUSTICE KAGAN and
JUSTICE JACKSON join, dissenting.
The State of Tennessee is set to execute Christa Pike for the 1995 murder of Colleen Slemmer. Earlier today, the Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit issued a stay of Pike's execution solely to "adequately address and resolve" the issues presented in Pike's pending application for relief. Order in In re Pike, No. 26-5864, ECF Doc. 10-2, p. 2. Tennessee now asks this Court to vacate that stay and permit it to proceed with Pike's execution today. Stunningly, the Court acquiesces. Because its decision clears the way for the State to execute Pike before her still-pending legal challenges to her conviction can be properly considered, I respectfully dissent.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:36eqtmzysqf7wsslczw4uxcd/bafkreibgvwhbb2ltvp3257xdel7sx32h5jde5m5dcw7plkpju4n7ox5hbi)
![A
Findings of collusion and bad faith are factual ones subject to the clear error standard of review. See Faught v. Am. Home Shield Co., 668 F.3d 1233, 1244 (11th Cir. 2011) (collusion); Trump v. Clin-ton, 161 F.4th 671, 689 (11th Cir. 2025) (bad faith). A finding of fact is not clearly erroneous if it is "plausible in light of the full record— even if another is equally or more so[.]" Cooper v. Harris, 581 U.S. 285, 293 (2017) (internal quotation marks and citation omitted).
The appellants did not submit or offer any evidence to explain their litigation conduct or demonstrate that the lawsuit and
USCA11 Case: 26-12692
Document: 68
Date Filed: 09/29/2026
Page: 20 of 22
20
Order of the Court
26-12692
the settlement were not collusive. Given the record before us, the appellants have not made a strong showing that the district court committed clear error in its collusion and bad faith findings. See generally United States v. Johnson, 319 U.S. 302, 304-05 (1943) (per curiam); Lord v. Veazie, 49 U.S. 251, 254-56 (1850).](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:36eqtmzysqf7wsslczw4uxcd/bafkreifdizszm4juqf4uowjbydlml7jf2uneozuxnkufgwddw7qjby7dmi)
