Tennessee prison chief who oversaw botched execution of Christa Pike resigns, governor announces
The prison chief who oversaw the botched execution of Christa Pike has resigned, the Tennessee governor announced.
Tennessee Department of Correction Commissioner Frank Strada put in his resignation and will step down from the top role later this month, Governor Bill Lee announced in a statement on Saturday. An interim will be appointed later.
It comes after Pike, 50, was placed on a ventilator after the state failed to kill her through lethal injection on Wednesday.
Pike was injected by at least seven needles on Wednesday as medical staff attempted to give her two lethal doses of pentobarbital, according to the filing.
‘At one point, Ms Pike herself offered guidance on where the IV team could attempt access; one needle was bent at a 90-degree angle when it was removed,’ the motion stated.
Her lawyers stated she was administered two sets of syringes of the lethal drug and could be heard crying, whimpering, and breathing loudly throughout the process.
During the procedure, she said: ‘My arm feels like it’s about to burst open,’ and at another point, asked: ‘Does this happen like that?’
As of Thursday night, she remains critically ill and is being treated at a Nashville-area hospital where she is ‘intubated, on a ventilator, and remains unconscious,’ her attorneys said.
Tennessee Department of Correction Commissioner Frank Strada put in his resignation and will step down from the top role later this month
Pike was injected by at least seven needles on Wednesday as medical staff attempted to give her two lethal doses of pentobarbital, but failed to kill her
The killer had been on death row for 30 years since she was convicted of the 1995 murder of her Knoxville Jobs Corp classmate Colleen Slemmer.
Strada said it was a ‘great honor’ to serve in his position and that he still ‘believes the Department carried out its responsibilities in accordance with the established protocol.’
‘Even so, stepping aside is in the best interest of Tennesseans as the independent review moves forward,’ he said.
‘I believe this review is entirely appropriate and necessary, and I look forward to doing everything I can to help determine exactly what occurred.’
The governor said Strada ‘served with integrity’ and that he ‘appreciated his willingness to put the interests of Tennesseans first during this difficult moment.’
‘I have accepted his decision to step down and am grateful for his commitment to ensuring a smooth leadership transition. I thank Commissioner Strada for his dedicated service to Tennessee and pray God’s blessings over him in the days ahead,’ Lee said in a statement.
Strada has worked for the state DOC since 2023. He previously worked for Arizona’s DOC, where he oversaw three lethal injections that were later criticized for having problems, The Tennessean said.
