Tennessee prison chief Frank Strada has resigned after the failed attempt to execute Krista Pike. Gov. Bill Lee announced that the commissioner of the Department of Prisons will step down in October.
The attempted execution took place on Wednesday, September 30. Pike received two doses of the substance Tennessee uses in executions, but she survived. The woman was put on a ventilator and fell unconscious.
Her lawyers said in a court filing that doctors were working hard to save her life. On Thursday, the medical team tried to clear her body of the two doses of the substance.
Independent investigation to determine the reasons
After the failure of the procedure, an independent investigation was launched to determine what led to the unsuccessful execution of the death sentence. Strada said that his withdrawal "was the best decision" for the state while the review continues.
“Serving as commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Prisons has been a great honor, and I continue to believe that the department has fulfilled its responsibilities according to established protocol”, said Frank Strada.Governor Bill Lee accepted his decision and thanked him for his willingness to put the interests of Tennesseans first at a difficult time. The next leadership of the department will be determined against the backdrop of the investigation, which should clarify the reasons for the failure.
Sources: BTA