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Frank Strada, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Correction, has resigned following the critical survival of death row inmate Christa Pike, who endured two lethal injection doses, prompting an independent investigation and renewed debate over capital punishment.
Share The head of Tennessee's prison system is resigning following the US state's botched execution of death row inmate Christa Pike, who survived two doses of a lethal injection drug and is now in critical condition.
Tennessee Department of Correction Commissioner Frank Strada will leave his post this month, Governor Bill Lee announced on Saturday, as an independent investigation examines what went wrong during the execution attempt.
"Stepping aside is in the best interest of Tennesseans as the independent review moves forward," Strada said in a statement. He said he continued to believe the department had carried out its responsibilities in accordance with established protocol but called the review "entirely appropriate and necessary".
"Commissioner Strada has served with integrity, and I appreciate his willingness to put the interests of Tennesseans first during this difficult moment," the governor said. Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox. Pike, 50, was due to be executed on Thursday but survived after receiving two lethal injections.
Tennessee authorities have yet to explain why Pike survived despite receiving two doses of pentobarbital, the drug intended to kill her. Lee ordered an independent investigation into the incident, which has since reignited debate over the death penalty and methods of execution in the United States. She was 18 years old at the time of the crime. Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world.
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Tennessee Christa Pike Botched Execution Death Penalty Frank Strada
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