Tennessee's Prisons Chief Resigns After Christa Pike Survived Two Lethal Injections — Here's What We Know

Tennessee's head of prisons is stepping down days after the state's attempt to execute death row inmate Christa Pike failed. Here's what happened, why it matters and what comes next.

What Happened

Pike was scheduled to be executed on Wednesday. According to BBC News, she was given two lethal doses of pentobarbital and remained alive. She was then taken to hospital by ambulance.

Her lawyers say she "could be heard crying, whimpering, and breathing loudly throughout the procedure". As of Thursday night, they said she was unconscious, intubated and on a ventilator.

She is now in critical condition at a hospital in Nashville, where doctors are trying to clear the drugs from her body, according to legal filings cited by the BBC.

The Resignation

On Saturday, Governor Bill Lee announced that Tennessee Department of Correction Commissioner Frank Strada is resigning. Sky News also reports the resignation.

In a joint statement, Strada said stepping down was "in the best interests" of the state. He called the ongoing investigation "entirely appropriate and necessary". Lee said Strada "has served with integrity".

The governor has also ordered an independent review of the attempted execution and halted all executions in Tennessee for the rest of the year, per the BBC.

What Pike's Lawyers Say

Pike's legal team called the resignation "justified" but said it "does nothing to help Christa now".

They argue the problem is bigger than one official. In their words, what happened "reflects a systemic failure that goes far beyond any one person".

Her lawyers had also warned beforehand that her medical history and anatomy, including a blood-clotting condition and small veins, meant she risked unnecessary pain and suffering during a lethal injection. On Friday they filed an emergency motion asking the court to preserve all evidence relating to the attempt.

How Did It Get This Far?

The execution went ahead after several last-minute legal challenges failed. The BBC reports that:

• The US Supreme Court rejected two separate efforts to stop the lethal injection.
• Governor Lee denied a clemency request.
• Pike is the only woman on Tennessee's death row.

The state's Department of Correction has defended its method, saying "the protocol does not allow for additional procedures beyond what was carried out".

The Case Behind It

Pike was sentenced to death in 1996 for the murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer in Knoxville. The BBC reports Pike was 18 when she and her then-boyfriend, Tadaryl Shipp, beat, tortured and killed Slemmer in 1995.

What Happens Next

Several big questions remain open:

• What went wrong? Authorities have not explained why the execution failed.
• Will they try again? The state has not said whether it will attempt another execution. Pike's lawyers are seeking to have her sentence commuted.
• What will the review find? The independent review is expected to examine the attempt, and her lawyers hope it will look at Tennessee's entire death penalty system.

Pike's condition is the most immediate unknown, and her legal fight is far from over.

Should a failed execution mean the state can't try again? Tell us what you think in the comments.

Sources: BBC News, Sky News