US prison chief who oversaw botched execution resigns

The prison chief in Tennessee has resigned following a botched execution that left a convicted murderer in critical condition. Frank Strada, the commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Correction, will leave his position this month. Christa Pike, 50, survived two lethal injections of pentobarbital, a drug that targets the nervous system, on Wednesday.

Media witnesses reported hearing her snore for about an hour after the administration of the drugs, and she was found unconscious and on a ventilator at a hospital. Lawyers for Pike claim she suffered severe burns and swelling due to improper administration of the IV line. The governor, Bill Lee, thanked Strada for his commitment to Tennesseans during this difficult time, but has since halted all executions for the remainder of the year pending a third-party review.

Pike's legal team argued for clemency, citing her young age, mental health issues, history of childhood sexual assault, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The execution of Pike, who was 18 at the time of the crime, sparked debate over capital punishment for young criminals.