The US state of Georgia has executed its first woman in 70 years, despite an appeal for clemency by Pope Francis.
Kelly Gissendaner, 47, died by lethal injection at 12:21am (local time) at Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison in Jackson, a prison spokeswoman said.
Gissendaner was sentenced to death after being convicted of what is known in the state as malice murder for her role in plotting the killing of her husband Douglas in 1997.
Pope Francis, who concluded a six-day US trip at the weekend and is an outspoken opponent of the death penalty, had urged officials to commute her death sentence.
Gissendaner's execution marks the first death sentence carried out against a woman in Georgia since 1945. She was the 16th woman executed in the US since the Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976.
The court denied last-minute requests for a stay of execution.
The state's board of pardons and paroles met the day before the execution to decide whether its refusal earlier this year to commute Gissendaner's sentence to life in prison should stand.
Board members were not swayed by her latest appeal for clemency, which emphasised her model behaviour in prison and her remorse.
Her lawyers also noted she was not present when the crime was committed.
The man who carried out the kidnapping and murder, Gissendaner's then-boyfriend Gregory Owen, received a life sentence.
Reverend Cathy Zappa, an Episcopal priest who taught Gissendaner through a prison theology program, had said she was scared but had not wavered in her belief in God.
Prison spokeswoman Lisa Rodriguez-Presley said Gissendaner requested a final prayer before she died.
-ABC News
It's sad when d convict is killed many years after d verdict. I mean do it immediately when d crime is still fresh not after everyone has moved on and d convict has proli become a pastor in prison. Sigh! I'm still for d death penalty sha cos some kain evil people don't need to be in this world
ReplyDeleteIts soo sad.
DeleteWell,her consolation should be that she gave her life to christ.
Merciful God.
She payed the price for her life of crime.
Fulani herdsmen have completely taken over the Abuja-Makurdi route! They rob there every blessed day with sharp daggers( the kind you see and you immediately beg God to forgive your sins and accept you into his home). I was robbed there last night and the idiots even wear army uniforms and their spot is actually close to a police check point. I have never been so sacred in my life! The way one of them casually slit our drivers throat and went on robbing like he didnt just kill a man, he was so swift we didn't even know the driver died until they left! The useless policemen in the previous check point took us to their station to write down statements and were acting like its the first time they heard people were robbed there. I hardly use that route but people that do said it happens almost every fucking day!! They rob, kill and rape people everyday wearing army uniforms close to a police check point and the only thing a sitting Governor noticed on the road is a lady dressed indecently. A man was killed right in front of us, a father, a husband!! How the hell did I find myself in this country??? Aaarrrrghhhhhhhhhhh....
DeleteYou do the crime, yoy face the judgement and take the punishment. Imagine the poor husband..... when she could have easily walked out of the marriage and continue with her boyfriend. No, she decided to kill the unsuspecting man.
DeleteThe so called boyfriend who carried out the murder should be given same treatment nowwww. Why let him live on?
Very very sad.i am sure some people have committed worst crimes.
DeleteShe was Just unfortunate.
I disagree with u on executing them immediately
DeleteThey need to go thru that trauma
Living each day not knowing when it gonna be but could be any moment
Like sleeping, eating and waking up thinking when its gonna be
That's more painful than even the execution
I have no pity whatsoever for any killers
Either hire someone or u do the did urself
Ur both a killer
U can do the crime?
Plss gladly do the time
Pay for ur crime gladly
The victim didn't even have the grace to think about dying u know!
Yippy! Rot in hell bitch
Cos u deserve to DIE!
I'm so ill. Need your prayers my fellow bvs
Delete@ Yvette. What a shocker. Pls try to get it off ur mind
DeleteGod heal u AmmyDiva. Pele
DeleteKai oo,yvette
DeleteMmmmm it's well oh... May she meet God at home
ReplyDeleteRIP Woman.
ReplyDeleteOmo...to die no easy o! This life too swit. We kip making noise about death, but when it stares us in the face, na that time we dey know how far. Hmmmn!
ReplyDeleteGhanaman signing out!
An eye for an eye. Ok na!
ReplyDeleteRIP madam. when you plot to kill, that is what you get.
ReplyDeletei hope all these bokos would be killed too instead of detoxicating them
these American states has zero respect for the pope and UN.. and they be the one to quickly condemn other countries for doing the same... shame.. hypocrisy
ReplyDeleteThey have a law and d law is no respecter of anyone,no matter who. So,d Pope can't tell you them what to do.
DeleteAboki na Mallam, is dis you? Respect for pope? She did something wrong nau
DeleteAn eye for an eye
ReplyDeleteNawa o
ReplyDeleteOh ok
ReplyDeleteNo crime goes unpunished. Fatal attraction and happily never after always leaves me speechless after each episode.
ReplyDeleteStella I see you swallowed my comment on ihn. Well done.
I follow these two programmes religiously. There is indeed nothing like a perfect crime in a country where the law works. The culprit hardly escapes d long arm of the law no matter d number of years that have elapsed.
DeleteI love that Crime channel on dstv.
DeleteThe re-enactment of these crimes are almost real.
Hmmmm do the husband will now say welcome home or what?
ReplyDelete@ Anonymous 18.25, This guy, Was not taught how to control himself or how to be considerate. A child who was allowed to do as he liked, was probably never reprimanded or got discipline for errors and wrong doing hence his behavior. And children who beat up their parents started when they were quite young. That's my opinion. They need to do fasting & prayer for him. Secondly, there is a ministry in Jos where this kind of people are taken care of, after a while he will be fine.
ReplyDelete3. If they have money they should move away from there without his knowledge.
Eya why not kill them instantly
ReplyDeleteOk ooo, R.I.P
ReplyDeleteHow come the woman's boyfriend that committed the kidnapping and the murder got a life sentence and the woman was executed?
ReplyDeleteHmmm. If they had not killed her, she would av still died anyway from obesity and maybe blow up. Just saying
ReplyDeleteLmaoooo.
DeleteBut why would her boyfriend (who's responsible for kidnapping and murdering her husband) get a life sentence, while she gets a death sentence? All these legal matters dey confusing sometimes jare
ReplyDeleteHmmmm,RIP
ReplyDeleteAww..
ReplyDeleteI kinda felt sorry for the lady but the law is the law..
An eye for an eye..
It's a good thing she knew the Lord before her execution..
Asin enh! My sister keep saying it's not real! Ppl are evil
ReplyDeleteIts really disheartening knowing she is paying for crime, still doesn't make it easy. I don't envy the executioner his/her job at all
ReplyDeletewell they are the learned people,they know more
ReplyDeleteMay her soul R.I.P.
ReplyDeleteshe has already paid for her sins while in prison.why kill her a long time.I pity her sha.
ReplyDeleteHaven't followed the case but from the episodes on ID I am assuming she must have manipulated the man into killing her husband to collect life insurance or so. His confession is probably what they used to nail her so he got a plea deal. She must have really done horrible to be executed they only execute the worst
ReplyDelete