A US appeals court has temporarily paused the execution of Christa Pike in Tennessee, just one hour before it was scheduled to proceed. The planned execution garnered significant attention as it would have marked the first time a woman had been executed in the United States in over two centuries. Pike was convicted of first-degree murder in connection with a 2001 shooting. The court granted a stay of execution to allow for further review of her case. Details surrounding the legal arguments for the stay have not been immediately released, but the decision prevents the state of Tennessee from carrying out the death penalty at this time. This pause introduces a new phase in a highly scrutinized case, with ongoing legal proceedings expected.