Departure comes as the state investigates what went wrong during Pike's lethal injection.
Axios · LC · trust 74/100
Tennessee's top prison official turned in his resignation days after the failed attempt to execute death row inmate Christa Pike , the state announced Saturday. Gov. Bill Lee said Department of Correction commissioner Frank Strada would step down this month. Strada, who had served as commissioner since 2023, said he would cooperate with the independent investigation of the failed execution attempt. Pike, 50, survived two doses of the lethal injection drug pentobarbital and was taken to a hospital for life-saving treatment. What they're saying: In a statement, Strada said he believed his 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." Lee said Strada "served with integrity," adding that he appreciated Strada's "willingness to put the interests of Tennesseans first during this difficult moment. … "I thank Commissioner Strada for his dedicated service to Tennessee and pray God's blessings over him in the days ahead." The big picture: Strada's department has faced bipartisan criticism following the unprecedented failures during the attempt to execute Pike on Wednesday night. Her attorneys said the execution team used at least seven needles in their attempts to find a vein for an IV. Pike's attorneys said she complained of intense pain during the injection and developed blisters and burns around the injection site. Between the lines: Medical experts have said those details suggest the IV wasn't properly connected and that the drug might not have gone directly into her bloodstream. Pike was unconscious and on a ventilator in a local hospital on Friday, her attorneys said.
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