Tennessee's prison chief resigns after failed Christa Pike execution
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R-TN) announced Saturday that Corrections Commissioner Frank Strada is stepping down following the state’s failed attempt to execute death row inmate Christa Pike.
TL;DR
- Tennessee Corrections Commissioner Frank Strada has resigned after the state's failed execution attempt on Christa Pike.
- Pike survived two doses of the lethal drug pentobarbital during her scheduled execution.
- Pike's attorneys had warned that her medical conditions could lead to a prolonged and painful execution.
- An independent review of the incident has been ordered by Governor Bill Lee.
- Tennessee changed its lethal injection protocol in 2024 to use a single drug, pentobarbital.
- This is not the first failed execution in Tennessee; a similar incident occurred with Oscar Smith in 2022.