Tennessee corrections chief quits after Christa Pike execution failure, governor confirms

Tennessee Department of Correction Commissioner Frank Strada is resigning following the failed execution of death row prisoner Christa Pike, Governor Bill Lee announced Saturday.

According to CNN, Strada said in a statement that stepping aside “is in the best interests” of Tennessee while an independent review examines why Wednesday’s execution failed.

Pike was placed on a ventilator and remained unconscious in hospital, her attorneys said in a court filing Friday.

Her lawyers said hospital staff were working to save her life and, as of late Thursday, attempting to clear the two doses of the execution drug administered by the state.

Tennessee uses pentobarbital to carry out executions.

The failed procedure has prompted scrutiny of the state’s execution process and led authorities to begin an independent investigation into what went wrong.

Strada’s resignation comes as officials seek answers about the circumstances surrounding the attempted execution.

Further details about Pike’s medical condition and the review have not yet been released by officials.