Tennessee Governor Appoints New Prison Commissioner After Lethal Injection Challenges

Tennessee Department of Correction Commissioner Frank Strada. Courtesy of Tennessee Department of Correction.

After announcing last week that leadership changes would be made at the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) following major problems with lethal injection protocols, Gov. Bill Lee announced the appointment of a new commissioner to lead the department.

Lee, a Republican, announced Frank Strada will take over the role effective Jan. 9. Interim Commissioner Lisa Helton has served in the role since December 2021 after the former commissioner retired.