The head of Tennessee's prison system is resigning after the failed execution of Christa Pike, Governor Bill Lee announced on Saturday. Pike, who was sentenced to death in 1996 for the murder of Colleen Slemmer, survived two lethal injections and is now in critical condition at a Tennessee hospital as her lawyers seek to commute her sentence.
Commissioner to step down
Mr Lee said that Department of Correction Commissioner Frank Strada will step down this month. Issuing a statement on Saturday, the Governor said that stepping aside “is in the best interests” of the state as an independent review is carried out to determine why Pike's execution failed Wednesday.
Pike's condition
On Friday, Pike's attorney said in a court filing that she was placed on a ventilator and remained unconscious in a hospital.
