Alyssa Spady
(She/Her)
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Politics, disability, long-form investigative, the courts, death penalty issues, women's health and sports
@cbsnews investigative unit | past lives: @maddow, @icparkschool, @csis | lets go knicks! | tips: alyssa.spady@cbsnews.com | signal: alyssaspady.31
Articles by Alyssa Spady
Botched executions came after changes to state protocol
Christa Pike's failed execution in September has raised fresh questions about Tennessee's lethal injection execution protocol, which is in its fourth iteration in the past two decades. Pike's was the second botched execution by Tennessee this year. She had been sentenced to death for her role in the 1995 torture and murder of her 19-year-old classmate, Colleen Slemmer.
Botched executions came after multiple changes to Tennessee's lethal injection protocol
Christa Pike's failed execution in September has raised fresh questions about Tennessee's lethal injection execution protocol, which is in its fourth iteration in the past two decades. Pike's was the second botched execution by Tennessee this year. She had been sentenced to death for her role in the 1995 torture and murder of her 19-year-old classmate, Colleen Slemmer.
Botched executions came after changes to state protocol
Christa Pike's failed execution in September has raised fresh questions about Tennessee's lethal injection execution protocol, which is in its fourth iteration in the past two decades. Pike's was the second botched execution by Tennessee this year. She had been sentenced to death for her role in the 1995 torture and murder of her 19-year-old classmate, Colleen Slemmer.
Botched executions came after changes to state protocol
This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Attorneys for convicted murderer Christa Pike say she is slowly recovering from a botched attempt to execute her with lethal injections.
Use of AI backfires on an expert witness at trial: "They have biases" Original
The use of artificial intelligence in the courtroom is drawing fresh attention after plaintiffs in a multimillion-dollar lawsuit claimed an expert witness used ChatGPT to create more than 80% of his expert report.
Florida man blames wrongful arrest on "error-prone" AI facial recognition Original
When police arrested Richard Dillon in 2023 for allegedly trying to "lure a child" away from a McDonald's in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, he told them he was more than 300 miles away at the time of the crime. The key evidence police used to puncture his alibi: facial recognition software matched an image of the suspect to Dillon's photo.
Prediction markets soar ahead of the Super Bowl
Alyssa Spady Sunday's Super Bowl is expected to see a record $1.76 billion wagered with sportsbooks. Emboldened by loosened restrictions from federal regulators, a newer form of betting — prediction markets — will also be looking to cash in on the night. Prediction markets have emerged in recent years as a platform to place "investments" on the answers to a dizzying array of unknowns — including wagers on outcomes relating to Sunday's big game.
Everytown for Gun Safety stirs controversy with move into firearms training classes Original
When the advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety announced it would be introducing a robust new array of classes to help people safely buy, use and store firearms, the decision caught some longtime supporters off guard. "They need to remember who it was that was there to help them get where they are," said Colorado state Sen. Tom Sullivan, who began supporting the group after losing his son Alex in the 2012 Aurora mass shooting.
Cleveland Guardians' Emmanuel Clase arrested at JFK airport, pleads not guilty in pitch rigging case Original
Cleveland Guardian's All-Star pitcher Emmanuel Clase was arrested at JFK airport and brought to a Brooklyn courtroom to be arraigned Thursday for his alleged involvement in what prosecutors call a "scheme to rig bets on pitches thrown during Major League Baseball games." An imposing presence on the mound, Clase showed little emotion in federal court as he entered a not guilty plea, spending much of the proceedings leaning back in his chair with arms folded and at times wiping sweat from his...
MLB's Emmanuel Clase, Luis Ortiz charged with taking bribes to rig pitches for bettors
Federal criminal indictments against two Cleveland Guardians pitchers were unsealed Sunday for actions the two Major League Baseball players allegedly took in what prosecutors called "a scheme to rig bets on pitches thrown during Major League Baseball." Federal agents said they arrested Luis Leandro Ortiz Ribera in Boston Sunday and also revealed the indictment against Emmanuel Clase de la Cruz, as the government continues its high-profile crackdown on gambling in pro sports.
NIH whistleblower details clash over childhood vaccines with Trump administration: "We became inconvenient"
The Epstein Letter Is Real, and It’s Bad The president’s initial strategy of denying that the document exists leaves him with few options now that it has been made public. This story was updated on September 8, 2025, at 8:49pm ET. When The Wall Street Journal reported two months ago that Donald Trump had written a suggestive letter to …
Elon Musk's DOGE teams cut critical funding from America's libraries, officials say
The Trump administration's sweeping cuts to the federal bureaucracy have included slashing a little-known government agency that channels grant money to America's libraries — a potentially crippling interruption to a funding lifeline for libraries around the country.
Hunter Biden's options for appeal after gun conviction
Hunter Biden was found Tuesday by a Delaware jury, but the first son still has avenues for appeal to try to overcome his conviction. Before his trial concluded, his attorneys filed three motions for acquittal last Friday on which Judge Maryellen Norieka has yet to rule.
Jury deliberates in Hunter Biden's gun trial
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Jury begins deliberation in Hunter Biden gun case Jurors are entering their second day of deliberations Tuesday in the gun trial of Hunter Biden, who faces federal charges of owning and possessing a firearm while he was a drug addict. They deliberated for about an hour Monday after the closing arguments before they were released for the day.
By Erica Brown Verified, Alyssa Spady, Scott MacFarlane Verified, Caroline Linton Verified, Paulina Smolinski Verified, Clare Hymes
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CBS News
Verified
FBI agent continues testifying about Hunter Biden's drug use in gun trial
FBI agent testifies in Hunter Biden gun trial Hunter Biden's attorneys on Wednesday will continue their cross-examination of an FBI agent who detailed the president's son's alleged drug use through his own text messages, memoir and bank records during the first day of testimony in his federal gun trial.
Alabama readies new execution method some veterinarians wouldn't use for pets
Update: Kenneth Eugene Smith was executed by nitrogen hypoxia on Thursday, Jan. 25. Read the latest here. Our earlier story is below. If Kenneth Eugene Smith is brought to the Alabama death chamber to face execution next week for his role in the 1988 murder-for-hire of a pastor's wife, the state plans to use an untested and untried method to end his life, suffocating him with a stream of nitrogen gas to be delivered through a face mask.
Alabama readies never-before-used execution method that some veterinarians won’t even use for pets
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Alabama readies never-before-used execution method that some veterinarians won't even use for pets
If Kenneth Eugene Smith is brought to the Alabama death chamber to face execution next week for his role in the 1988 murder-for-hire of a pastor's wife, the state plans to use an untested and untried method to end his life, suffocating him with a stream of nitrogen gas to be delivered through a face mask.
Lawsuit challenges Alabama's plan to execute a death row inmate with nitrogen gas Original
Alabama is preparing to employ a new method of execution using nitrogen gas following botched attempts at lethal injections last year. But a spiritual adviser to death row inmates told CBS News he filed a lawsuit last week challenging the method that even veterinarians have refused to use, citing its "distressing" effects and potential lethal hazards to others who are present. Rev.
NCAA president Charlie Baker blasts "prop bets," citing risk to game integrity in college sports
Bad Bets: Gambling on college sports Since he took over as president of the NCAA earlier this year, former Massachusetts Gov.
Hunter Biden enters not guilty plea after deal falls apart Original
Hunter Biden pleads not guilty to tax charges A plea agreement between federal prosecutors and Hunter Biden fell apart Wednesday after the judge refused to sign off on a deal that would have seen the president's son enter guilty pleas to two misdemeanor tax charges and enter a diversion program in lieu of pleading guilty to a felony gun possession count. After the deal collapsed, Hunter Biden entered a not guilty plea.
Judge signals Trump "hush money" case likely to stay in state court Original
Audio reveals Trump discussing classified material Former President Donald Trump's efforts to move his New York State "hush money" criminal case to federal jurisdiction were met by a skeptical judge Tuesday, who indicated he didn't believe payments made to a former Trump attorney were tied to Trump's service as president.
'The season is frankly a blur'; former Stanford volleyball star talks about the dangers of concussions Original
Examining inequities in concussion research PALO ALTO -- Stanford volleyball star Hayley Hodson had Olympic dreams from a young age. "Without a doubt, an Olympic gold medal," Hodson told CBS News. Hodson excelled in her sport, but she suffered a concussion at practice during what her coaches called the "courage" drill. "It really felt like target practice," Hodson said. "And I was the target." Hayley said less than two weeks later she took another ball to the head, in almost the same spot.
Gender gap in concussion research leaves female athletes struggling Original
Examining inequities in concussion research Concussion research focuses primarily on male athletes, possibly hurting women 02:28 Hayley Hodson had Olympic dreams from a young age. "Without a doubt, an Olympic gold medal," Hodson told CBS News. Hodson excelled as a star volleyball player at Stanford, but she suffered a concussion at practice during what her coaches called the "courage" drill. "It really felt like target practice," Hodson said.
Billionaire Trump confidant Thomas Barrack calls friend's presidency "disastrous" for his business Original
Billionaire investor Thomas Barrack testified Monday that his friend Donald Trump's presidency was "disastrous" for his business. Barrack made the comment while testifying in his own criminal trial in federal court in Brooklyn, New York. He has pleaded not guilty to charges of acting as an unregistered foreign agent, obstruction of justice and making false statements to the FBI.
Birtherism Re-Emerges as Kamala Harris Makes History
Kamala Harris’ nomination has caught much media attention not just for her historical presents on the ticket but has also led to the resurgence of a movement that tried to upend the Obama campaign in both 2008 and 2012. Following an op-ed in Newsweek that suggested Kamala Harris would not be qualified to be Vice President, due to her parent’s citizenship status, inciting a slight re-emergence of Birtherism.
USPS Facing Historic Delays, Continues to Fight Political Push Back
With delays in mails and complaints mounting up against the United States Postal Service (USPS), lawmakers are becoming more and more concern for what this could mean come election time. The USPS has been taking an economic beating after losing money due to the economic downturn by way of the pandemic. The loss of revenue has left the postal service gutted, leaving employees overworked and at higher risk for contracting COVID-19 while patrons wait days for mail or packages.
Trump Threatens the Election and Leaving Office
President Trump took to Twitter last week to suggest that the U.S. should push back the November election until it is safe for a majority of the country to vote in person. The President claimed that if the country relies on mail-in voting for the November election the election would be subject to mass fraud. The tweet sent shockwaves throughout the country as people raised the question, does the President have the power to push back the election?
Republicans and Democrats at Odds Again, This Time About Relief Packages
With the month coming to a close, a looming deadline comes along with it. Beginning last week, important aspects of the CARES Act, which had been giving many Americans federal assistance through the economic downturn, will expire. One of the most talked about aspects of the aid bill included the potential end of a $600 a week unemployment benefit.
CDC vs. Trump -
As countries like Spain, Italy and Germany begin to open up following previous restrictions and lockdown orders, the United States still finds itself in a brutal battle with COVID-19. With cases spiking in country in areas like Florida, Arizona and Texas, there is still a massive push coming from the Trump administration to continue to reopen the country. Schools and businesses have been the biggest targets for the President, hoping for a return to life prior to the outbreak of COVID-19.
Diagnosis: Election Fatigue
Is everyone excited about the encroaching election?
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