Seven Lives and One Not-So-Lucky

I am going to write about two people who were sentenced to death in the United States. 

1. Christa Pike 

In 1995, Christa Pike was 18 years old. She tortured and killed her classmate, Colleen Slemmer. For this crime, Pike was sentenced to death, while her boyfriend, 17-year-old Tadaryl Shipp, was sentenced to life in prison. The Supreme Court rejected her appeal. 

She never denied her guilt. 

According to the account, two doses of a lethal drug were ordered for her execution. On September 30, 2026, at 7:46 p.m. local time, prison officials reportedly administered the first dose of pentobarbital. A second dose was also administered. Officials reportedly used seven needles while trying to establish an IV line. However, she did not die and remained conscious. 

As of October 15, 2026, she reportedly remains alive following the failed execution attempt. 

She is said to be in the hospital, and some people have begun expressing sympathy for her. They are asking the Tennessee government to grant her clemency and change her death sentence to life imprisonment. 

2. Nidal Malik Hasan — Not So Lucky 

Nidal Malik Hasan is a former U.S. Army psychiatrist who killed 13 people and injured 32 others at Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009. A military jury convicted him and sentenced him to death. 

The account claims that President Donald Trump approved his death sentence and that the Army announced plans to execute him by firing squad. 

Then came Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. 

He reportedly wanted the execution to be made public on December 3, 2026, so that people around the world could watch it. Vice President JD Vance reportedly said that he would not watch the execution. Some Army generals and leaders from both the Republican and Democratic parties were also said to oppose the plan. The account further claims that 95% of the public opposed it. 

Finally, President Trump reportedly overruled Secretary Hegseth and cancelled the public execution. However, according to the account, the execution was still scheduled to take place privately on December 3, 2026.

Mike Ditka

The legendary American Football Coach for the Chicago Bears and Hall of Famer Mike Ditka (86) passed away. 

Mike Ditka was in a way responsible for Barack Obama becoming the President of the USA. 

Obama was a nationally unknown State Senator in Illinois when he ran for U.S. Senator. He won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senator in 2004. His Republican opponent was Jack Ryan. Jack withdrew after controversial allegations emerged from records related to his divorce. 

Ditka, a staunch Republican, considered running against Obama. Ditka was more famous in Chicago and the entire State of Illinois than Tendulkar in Mumbai and Maharashtra. He ultimately decided not to run. Had he run he would have easily won against Obama. And Obama’s political career may have come to an end. 

The Republican Party nominated a weak Alan Keyes and Obama won and became a U.S. Senator. The rest is history. 

Ditka “would later remark that the course of American history would have been different had he decided to pursue the office”. 

May he rest in peace.

Bhagyaraj

Very sorry to hear Actor, Director, Producer Bhagyaraj has passed away. Our whole family loved all his movies. To name a few Mundhanai Mudichu, Andha 7 Naatkal, etc etc. 

My wife and I had an opportunity to meet him for just 10 seconds. It was hilarious. He and his wife was visiting San Francisco Bay Area. He stayed in a rich couple’s house. They gave a reception/party for him. We happened to be friends of that rich couple. 

We were also invited. I was talking to my wife. Bhagyaraj was talking to his friends a few feet away from us. We never knew while talking to his friends he was also listening to our conversation. 

I was telling my wife: “What was the movie he acted in which the thrilling climax was shot in a train from Ooty to Mettupalayam. I loved the movie but unable to remember the title”. Before my wife could reply, Bhagyaraj who was standing a few feet away and talking to his friends leaned back and told us: Vidiyum Varai Kaathiru and went back to talk to his friends.

Our whole family loved his acting. 

May he rest in peace.