On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Feb. 8 (UPI) -- Attorneys for a woman on death row in Texas asked Tuesday to have her upcoming execution date withdrawn or modified, saying her 2-year-old daughter's death in 2007 was. For her last meal, shes requested an extravagant one: two Burger King Whoppers with cheese (with everything), two large orders of fries, popcorn, cornbread, a side of buttermilk and a salad with tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, carrots, cheese, boiled eggs and Paul Newman buttermilk dressing, CNN affiliate WGCL-TV in Atlanta reported. She was convicted of murder in the February 1997 slaying of her husband. Kelly Renee Gissendaner, 46, is scheduled to receive a lethal injection at 7 p.m. Monday at the state prison in Jackson, for the February 1997 murder of her husband, Douglas Gissendaner.. Only 15 women have been executed in the United States since 1977, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. Owen pleaded guilty and is serving a life sentence; his first possibility of parole will come in eight years, her lawyers said. Erica Yvonne Sheppard was 19 when she murdered a 43-year-old woman in Houston on June 30, 1993. ___ Hollingsworth reported from Kansas. In the request for reconsideration, Gissendaner's lawyers cited a statement from former Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Norman Fletcher, who argued that Gissendaner's death sentence wasn't proportionate to her role in the crime. Atlanta attorney Ken Driggs, who has represented capital defendants at trial and on appeal, spent time in court last week to see how Moss was doing. It is appropriate to engage in this inquiry in considering how the law has developed in the twenty-five years since Furman v. Georgia. Everytime I read anything about this lady I get more and more disgusted. She was convicted of first-degree murder on January 12, 1995 and entered prison on March 30, 1996. She was sentenced on August 4, 2006. The second was Kelly Gissendaner, who was executed in 2015 for conspiring with her boyfriend to have her husband killed in 1997. Applegate fell short again, with the award going to Jean Smart for her role in "Hacks." Regardless, the 51-year-old actress said on Twitter the nomination made her smile after an incredibly hard year. Virgil Delano Presnell, Jr. is scheduled to be executed on May 17 at 7 p.m. Presnell, 68, was accused of abducting and attacking the two girls . Virginia Susan Caudill was 37 when she robbed and murdered a 73-year-old woman in Lexington, Kentucky, on March 15, 1998. "Certainly, soon after making his appeal to Congress to abolish the death penalty, [Pope Francis] was certainly watching any cases that might be on the horizon," Gregory said Tuesday. A jury found Moss guilty of torturing Emani, starving her to death and then, with the help of her husband, Eman, burned the childs body in a trash can, according to CNN affiliate WSB. She was finally executed by lethal injection at the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison in Jackson, Georgia, on September 30 at 12:21a.m.[16][17], Gissendaner cried, prayed, sang "Amazing Grace",[18] and said, "and I love you Sally. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. There are currently 40 men and one woman awaiting execution on Georgia's Death Row. Both defendants were offered identical plea bargains before trial: life in prison with an agreement to not seek parole for 25 years. She is serving a life sentence in Ohio but is sentenced to death in Indiana. Your email address will not be published. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. It was the kind of question no one could imagine. "I just want to say God bless you all and I love you, Susan. Your email address will not be published. Moss, 36, showed no reaction when the death sentence was handed down Tuesday, local media inside the courtroom reported. He was impressed with her paper, and he wrote back. A Warner Bros. "At one time, therefore, all the parties involved in the case thought a sentence less than death was appropriate for Ms. Gissendaner," her lawyers wrote. Tanya Jaime Nelson was 46 when she murdered two women, ages 23 and 52, in Westminster, California, on April 21, 2005. Since then, she has been in prison, where her supporters say she found God and has counseled other women inmates in distress. They cant kill her fast enough for me! He also noted that Georgia hadn't executed a person who didn't actually carry out a killing since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976. Theyve come singly, and in couples, about 35 altogether 30 minutes before the scheduled execution. Melissa Elizabeth Lucio was 38 when she murdered her 2-year-old daughter in Harlington, Texas, on February 16, 2007. The number one network in cable, FNC has been the most-watched television news channel for 18 consecutive years. Owen, who is the one who stabbed Douglas Gissendaner to death, took the deal and testified for the prosecution. The only woman on Georgia's death row told her children that 'love beats out hate' just 90 minutes before she was due to be executed on Monday night. There are 81 men on death row in Georgia and one woman. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Socorro Caro was 42 when she murdered her three sons, ages 5, 8, and 11, in Santa Rosa Valley, California, on November 22, 1999. 2023 Cable News Network. Shonda Dee Walter was 23 when she murdered an 83-year-old man in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, on March 25, 2003. She was sentenced on April 19, 2005. Taken aback, and clearly uncomfortable, the TSA officer Juror No. (Image: AP Photo/Savannah Morning News) On Sept. 21, 2011, the state of Georgia ended Troy Anthony Davis' life with a lethal injection. Brittany Marlowe Holberg was 23 when she murdered an 80-year-old man in Amarillo, Texas, on November 13, 1996. Tiffany Moss: Murdered her stepdaughter, 10-year-old Emani Moss. Georgia has scheduled the execution of Brian Keith Terrell for 10 March at 7pm in Jackson. She was sentenced on July 6, 2000. Carr is the youngest woman in the United States sitting on death row, and Cole is the third youngest. 30 if, given her views and life experiences, she could truly vote for the death penalty. CNNs Jamiel Lynch and Tina Burnside contributed to this report. Dont Replicate the Crime! it reads. FOX News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour all-encompassing news service delivering breaking news as well as political and business news. After several denied appeals, Georgia executed Kelly Gissendaner at 12:21 a.m. EDT on Wednesday by lethal injection at the state prison in Jackson. It would be a crime she said, a state-mandated crime., [protected-iframe id=6428e145c8a35b1163fe8408659bd220-46934866-80977388 info=https://w.graphiq.com/w/jue8eM3CHVH ], [protected-iframe id=567afa090f881a03c95498e7b29cfb15-46934866-80977388 info=https://w.graphiq.com/w/30dq3geuZLv ], Your email address will not be published. Gissendaners last meal request was for lemonade, two cheeseburgers, two large orders of french fries, cornbread and a side of buttermilk, cherry vanilla ice cream, popcorn, and a salad with boiled eggs, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, carrots, cheese and buttermilk dressing. I should have pushed her to take the plea but did not because I thought we would get straight up life if she was convicted.. She was sentenced on September 13, 1995. Anther occasion involved Juror No. Janeen Marie Snyder was 21 when she murdered a 16-year-old girl in Rubidoux, California, on April 17, 2001. She was sentenced on April 4, 2008. The Georgia Department of Corrections said her death by lethal injection came at 12:21 a.m. Doug Gissendaner Doug Gissendaner was born in December 1966 at Crawford Long Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. The court ruled against McClesky who was executed by electrocution in 1991, ruling that racial disparities in the death penalty were not a violation of one's Constitutional right of . Gissendaner sang "Amazing Grace" and also appeared to sing another song before taking several deep breaths and then becoming still. (Instead, they have been appointed standby counsel and sit behind Moss in the courtroom gallery ready to help if she asks for it.). But when Porter asked her if she could consider all three sentencing options life in prison with the possibility of parole, life without parole or the death penalty the juror said, I would like to think I could.. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Kelly Renee Gissendaner, 46, is scheduled to receive a lethal injection at 7 p.m. Monday at the state prison in Jackson, for the February 1997 murder of her husband, Douglas Gissendaner. of Corrections Robin Lee Row was 35 when she murdered her husband and her two children in Boise, Idaho, on February 10, 1992. The pontiff had asked the parole board to stop the execution, according to a letter from a papal representative published on the website of the Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta. Kelly Renee Gissendaner was 28 when she murdered her husband in Gwinnett County, Georgia, on February 7, 1997. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. After his escape, he broke into the home of a married couple, proceeded to rape the wife (who he released shortly after), and then stole the family car. They need to give her the electric chair and burn her like she burned that baby. "As the murderer, she's been given more rights and opportunity over the last 18 years than she ever afforded to Doug who, again, is the victim here," the statement says. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. She later checked on her husband to make sure he was dead, then Owen followed her in Douglas Gissendaners car to retrieve a can of kerosene that Kelly Gissendaner had left for him. A chaplain has spent time with her. Gissendaner's lawyers also urged the board to consider that before trial, she had been offered the same plea deal as Owen - life in prison with an agreement not to seek parole for 25 years. [3] During her senior year of high school, she claimed to have been date raped. The two women are behind bars for committing two separate crimes, and they had separate lives until they arrived as neighbors on the famous death row corridor at the women's correctional facility in Ocala, Florida. Two of Gissendaner's three children had previously addressed the board, but her oldest son hadn't. She was sentenced on October 22, 2010. That does bother me a little (but) you said it was her choice. Since 1976, a total of 76 people have been executed by the state of Georgia in the United States.[1]. Eman Moss is currently serving life in prison for the death of his daughter, according to WSB. She was sentenced on February 21, 2002. Tiffany Ann Cole was 23 when she murdered a 61-year-old man and a 61-year-old woman in Jacksonville, Florida, on July 8, 2005. Brandy Holmes was 23 when she robbed and murdered a 70-year-old man in Blanchard, Louisiana, on January 1, 2003. We tell stories with heart, humor, and authenticity to celebrate American life. Tiffany Moss acted as her own attorney in the case, but offered no defense, called no witnesses and gave no opening nor closing statements, the station reported. ), Gissendaner was scheduled to be executed on September 29, 2015, but was again delayed by appeals. 2023 Cable News Network. In an address to the Joint meeting of Congress last Thursday, he said, "This conviction has led me, from the beginning of my ministry, to advocate at different levels for the global abolition of the death penalty. Kelly Gissendaner, meanwhile, went on local television appealing to the public for information on her husbands whereabouts. A Georgia stepmother is set to become the states only femaledeath rowinmate after she was convicted this week of starving her 10-year-old stepdaughter to death.Tiffany Moss was convicted Monday in the 2013 death of her stepdaughter, Emani Moss, Gwinnett County District Attorney Daniel Porter told CNN.A jury found Moss guilty of torturing Emani, starving her to death and then, with the help of her husband, Eman, burned the childs body in a trash can, according toCNN affiliate WSB.At the time of her death, Emani weighed just 32 pounds, the average weight of a toddler, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. [3] They had a baby together, lost their jobs, and moved in with Kelly's mother. Her attorneys argue that testimony from department of corrections employees would change the parole boards opinion of Gissendaner, who they say has shown a commitment to seeking redemption through spiritual growth and serving others. She was sentenced on March 24, 2000. Donna Marie Roberts was 58 when she murdered her husband near Warren, Ohio, on December 11, 2001. By GILLIAN MOHNEY February 19, 2015, 7:19 AM 1:16 The execution had been scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday. In 1997, she convinced another man to force Douglas Gissendaner into a car at knifepoint, drive him to the woods and stab him to death, whereafter Kelly hid his body. Ive been against it for so long, the woman said, equivocating. ORIGINAL STORY: Kelly Gissendaner, convicted of murder and facing death tonight, has eaten her last meal. Prosecutors said Gissendaner, a mother of three, wanted her husband dead so she could profit from two life insurance policies and the couples $84,000 house. Margaret Allen was 39 when she murdered a 39-year-old woman in Titusville, Florida, on February 8, 2005. According to court documents when the girls remains were weighed she weighed in just over thirty pounds. [7], Gissendaner was convicted of orchestrating her husband's murder and sentenced to death in 1998, after Owen testified against her in a plea agreement in which he was sentenced to life imprisonment. To use social login you have to agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website. In the video, Kayla Gissendaner said she didn't believe her father would want her mother to be executed, to spare his children from more pain. One is Beth King of Roswell. When its Mosss turn, she most often smiles and tells Hutchinson, No questions, your honor. On very few occasions, however, she poses the question about the starvation and burning of her stepchild. [1] Owen told a jury that Gissendaner had first approached him about "a way to get rid of" her husband three months before the murder. While in prison, Gissendaner had a conversion to Christianity. She was sentenced on November 18, 2000. This is an exceptional case requiring exceptional and immediate action, attorney Susan Casey said in a statement emailed to the Guardian. Reporters comprise a lot of that crowd, because the Gissendaner story has gone worldwide. She was sentenced on September 25, 2002. Updated Douglas Gissendaner's parents and sisters want her to be executed, but two of Kelly and Douglas' three children have asked the parole board to spare her life, the lawyers wrote. End the death penalty., Executing Gissendaner, said King, would make the state just as guilty as she. Sept. 29, 2015 ATLANTA Georgia executed the only woman on its death row on Wednesday, hours after the State Board of Pardons and Paroles rejected her final plea for clemency and nearly. She was sentenced on June 26, 2009. The first was Lena Baker, an African-American maid who in 1944 was sentenced to death by an all-white, all-male jury for the death of a man she said held her against her will, threatened her life and appeared poised to hit her with a metal bar. 138, who said shed once supported capital punishment but now opposed it. First published on March 2, 2015 / 1:11 PM. 52 said death would be his first priority., Jury selection, which consumed all of last week,will wrap up soon in this extremely rare instance in which a capital defendant is going it alone. No questions, your honor, Moss said with a smile. Tiffany Moss was sentenced to death in Georgia for the starvation death of a ten year old girl. Norfolk Southern train derails in Springfield, Ohio, At least 12 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, Trump speaks at CPAC after winning straw poll, Grizzlies star Ja Morant to miss at least 2 games after alleged gun incident, How Paul Murdaugh testified "from the grave" to help convict his father, Man charged for alleged involvement in 2 transformer explosions, Promising drug could provide alternative to statins, new study finds, Iran to allow more inspections at nuclear sites, U.N. says, NTSB to investigate in-flight turbulence that left 1 passenger dead, Nikki Haley slams potential GOP contenders, and Trump and George W. Bush. As of April 2018, there were 55 women on death row. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Gissendaner was willing to plead guilty, her current lawyers said, but consulted with her trial lawyer and asked prosecutors to remove the stipulation about waiting 25 years to apply for parole. Despite the recommendations of almost everyone,Moss has refused to be represented by two experienced state capital defenders who were assigned her case. There are fewer moments left now. Jan: The Youngest Woman Sentenced to Georgia's Death Row Jodi McD Free US Delivery | ISBN:1478790490. Some jurors return her smile, while others cast a curious glace at the woman theyd just been told is accused of starving and burning her stepchild. Kelly Gissendaner has exhausted all state and federal appeals, the attorney general said in a statement. In statements submitted with her clemency application, Kayla and Dakota Gissendaner describe a journey from bitterness and anger to forgiveness; finally they have a meaningful relationship with their mother. OK: Wade Lay: RESCHEDULED on January 24, 2023 by the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals; execution date reset for June 6 . More than 100 people gathered in rainy conditions outside the prison to support Gissendaner. Gissendaner was originally set to be executed last Wednesday, but the Department of Corrections postponed it due to a winter weather report. She was sentenced on November 20, 1998. 5:58 PM EST, Tue February 24, 2015. After probing that, Porter finally asked Juror No. Antoinette Frank was 22 when she robbed and murdered a 25-year-old police officer, a 17-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman in New Orleans on March 4, 1994. Shawna Forde was 41 when she murdered a 29-year-old man and a 9-year-old girl in Arivaca, Arizona, on May 30, 2009. A Georgia woman who was executed despite a plea for mercy from Pope Francis sang "Amazing Grace" until she was given a lethal injection, witnesses said. Maria del Rosio Alfaro was 18 when she committed burglary, robbery, and murdered a 9-year-old girl in Anaheim, California, on June 15, 1990. Once transferred, Moss will be the only woman on death row in Georgia, according to Benoit. Maureen McDermott was 37 when she murdered a 27-year-old man in Van Nuys, California, on April 28, 1985. Prosecutors said she plotted his stabbing death with her boyfriend, Gregory Owen. Despite the trauma suffered in these cases . Gissendaner was previously scheduled for execution Feb. 25, but that was delayed because of a threat of winter weather. She was sentenced on November 14, 2004. She was sentenced on November 5,1990. Or, perhaps, theyre death-penalty opponents maybe both. At the start of 2019, the Georgia Department of Corrections counted 56,624 persons in all its. He got life with the possibility of parole in 2022. Gissendaner, 47, was convicted of murder in the February 1997 slaying of her husband. She was sentenced to death on October 13, 1999. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles, http://genealogytrails.com/geo/executions3.html, http://genealogytrails.com/geo/executions5.html, Capital punishment in Georgia (U.S. state), List of most recent executions by jurisdiction, List of people executed in the United States in 2015, List of people executed in the United States in 2016, List of women executed in the United States since 1976, White defendants executed for killing a black victim, National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, Supreme Court decisions on capital punishment, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_people_executed_in_Georgia_(U.S._state)&oldid=1129300622, Lists of people executed in the United States, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Coleman and Gladys Brice, and Katie Davis, Gail Jackson, a/k/a Gail Faison and Irene Thirkield, David Hardin, Katie Back, and William Gerald Hodges, Dorothy Hightower, Evelyn and Sandra Reaves, Gary DeYoung, Kathy DeYoung, and Sarah DeYoung, Ferne Jackson, Jean Dimenstein, Florence Scheible, Martha Thurmond, Kathleen Woodruff, Mildred Borom, and Janet Cofer, The first individual electrocuted for a crime and sentenced to death (in Georgia) was Howard Henson, a black male, for rape and robbery; by electrocution on September 13, 1924, in DeKalb County. Late this afternoon the panel announced: the execution would go on as planned. Gissendaner, 47, was put to death after hours of delays due to numerous eleventh-hour appeals, and despite a plea from Pope Francis to spare her life. Nine months later, her first son was born. The execution is scheduled to take place about 7 p.m. [6], On February 7, 1997, Gregory Bruce Owen (born March 17, 1971) hid near the couple's home in Auburn. Many came from difficult, broken childhoods filled with abuse, rape,. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. After her conviction, and until her execution, Gissendaner was the only woman on death row in Georgia. Owen will be eligible for parole in eight years time, attorneys said. On February 20, Douglas Gissendaners face-down body was found about a mile from his car. She was sentenced on January 12, 2004. Witnesses said Gissendaner sobbed as she said she loved her children and apologized to Douglas Gissendaner's family, saying she hopes they can find some peace and happiness. Each profile has about ninety pages of statistics on demographic, correctional, educational, psychological, physical, criminal history, and medical information. And I love you Susan. Her execution was reset for March 2, but corrections officials postponed that execution "out of an abundance of caution" because the execution drug appeared "cloudy.". Before the parole board announced its decision, Wilton Daniel Gregory, Archbishop of Atlanta, said the board received the letter in time for its 11 a.m. meeting. Gissendaner was romantically involved with Gregory Owen and conspired with the 43-year-old to have her husband, Douglas Gissendaner, killed, according to court testimony. That amazing man lost his life because of me and if I could take it back, if this would change it, I would have done it a long time ago. Required fields are marked *. Her husbands body went undiscovered in the woods for nearly two weeks in February 1997. It also may be the first execution to take place in America since Pope Francis called on Congress to abolish capital punishment. Discovery Company. Gissendaner's lawyers also urged the parole board to subpoena some other corrections employees so they can testify without fear of retaliation. (They were never told why, although Moss has said shes putting her faith in Gods hands.). According to law enforcement, 10-year-old Emani Moss weighed just 32 pounds when her charred body was found in the fall of 2013. Kelly Rene Gissendaner ( ne Brookshire; March 8, 1968 - September 30, 2015) was an American woman who was executed by the U.S. state of Georgia. This set a record for the most executions conducted in Georgia in a calendar year. Gissendaner had spoken to the women through an air vent and prevented some from committing suicide, while other women tell of how Gissendaner's words encouraged them to turn their lives around. Gissendaner, 46, was found guilty in 1998 of recruiting her lover to kill her husband Doug. Jesse Watters: Buying mace in Manhattan is almost as hard as getting a gun. We can't imagine losing our mom, too," Kayla Gissendaner said. Idaho Dept.. Kelly Gissendaner, the last woman on Georgias death row, has been executed, A woman who was thought dead for 30 years has resurfaced in the weirdest way possible, Steve could barely get a word out after asking a contestant about how to please a woman. Even a letter from an emissary for Pope Francis didnt sway the board; nor did a plea from Wilton Gregory, archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta. The state is scheduled to snap that 70-year streak on Wednesday. Her execution was further delayed when one of the execution drugs (pentobarbital) was thought to have been spoiled through improper storage, though it was later determined that the drug had merely precipitated out of solution due to colder than recommended storage conditions. The new request for reconsideration included testimony from several women who were locked up as teens and who said Gissendaner counseled them through moments when they felt scared, lost, or on the verge of giving up hope. Lisa Jo Chamberlin (aka Chamberlain) was 31 when she murdered a 34-year-old man and a 37-year-old woman in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, in March 2004. The State Board of Pardons and Paroles will consider a clemency request Tuesday. One of them, Juror No. 2015 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Earlier, the state Board of Paroles and Pardons declined her lawyers last-ditch request for clemency. With the Next to Die, The Marshall Project and our reporting partners tracked every execution in the United States from August 2015 to February 2021. Shes had six volunteers visit. "I suspect this would be the first such case.". Owen lay in wait until he returned. Norfolk Southern train derails in Springfield, Ohio, At least 12 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, Trump speaks at CPAC after winning straw poll, Grizzlies star Ja Morant to miss at least 2 games after alleged gun incident, How Paul Murdaugh testified "from the grave" to help convict his father, Man charged for alleged involvement in 2 transformer explosions, Promising drug could provide alternative to statins, new study finds, Iran to allow more inspections at nuclear sites, U.N. says, NTSB to investigate in-flight turbulence that left 1 passenger dead. Michelle Byrom was 42 when she hired a killer to murder her husband in Tishomingo County, Mississippi, on June 4, 1999. Blackmon was sentenced on June 7, 2002. Gissendaner's three children visited with her Monday but weren't able to see her Tuesday because they were testifying before the parole board, Bacote said. Ana Marie Cardona was 39 when she murdered her 3-year-old son in Miami on November 2, 1990. Details of the crime, as laid out at trial and provided by Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens, are as follows: Owen and Kelly Gissendaner planned the murder for months. Investigators learned that Gissendaner had a boyfriend. List of people executed in Georgia (U.S. state), List of people executed in Georgia since 1976, Jerry Alday, Ned Alday, Jimmy Alday, Mary Alday, Chester Alday, and Aubrey Alday, Steven Moss, Bryan Moss, and Kristin Moss. She was sentenced on April 1, 1999. [12] Gissendaner's clemency application to the Board of Pardons included support from a number of correctional officers whom she had met while in prison. She was sentenced to death on August 31, 1989. Her lover, Gregory Owen, who killed Douglas Gissendaner, is serving a life sentence but will become eligible for parole in 2022. She was originally sentenced on June 21, 2003. She was sentenced on May 25, 1995. She was sentenced on October 22, 1999. Edenfield is the oldest death row inmate in Georgia. Each time the topic came up in conversations between Donald and Seabolt, "Donald reiterated his statement that Ms. Gissendaner did not need to worry about clemency as it was a foregone conclusion," they wrote. After Gardner and Gilbert returned to their seats, Hutchinson asked Moss if she had anything to say. 30, a veterinary nurse, told Porter she had signed petitions opposing capital punishment. FBI Demanded Twitter Shut Down Parody Account of The Undertaker?!?! If the execution goes forward, this will be the first time Georgia has executed a woman since 1945. In the clemency application, Gissendaners lawyers argue she is equally or less culpable than Owen, who actually did the killing. Since the death penalty was reinstated in 1973, Georgia has executed 57 men, 35 by lethal injection. 2. [10] During her time in prison, Gissendaner ministered to other women living in prison with her. Tina Lasonya Brown was 39 when she murdered a 19-year-old woman in West Pensacola, Florida, on March 24, 2010. Although department rules allow employees to speak to lawyers for capital clemency proceedings, the reality is less clear, Gissendaner's lawyers wrote. Owen knocked him unconscious, then repeatedly stabbed him in the neck with a knife. At the time of her death, Emani weighed just 32 pounds, the average weight of a toddler, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. "We also believe that Kelly's death will not restore them or make them whole," Gissendaner's lawyers wrote of the entire Gissendaner family. Sandi Dawn Nieves was 34 when she murdered her four daughters, ages 5, 7, 11, and 12, in Saugus, California, on June 30, 1998. [13] The Georgia Republican Party's general counsel and Republican Bob Barr also supported clemency. DIED ON DEATH ROW on May 2, 2022. The same year, Texas only executed seven people, the first time it did not lead the nation in executions since 2001 (when it ranked behind Oklahoma). The stories of these women have a lot in common. Kelly Gissendaner, 46, had been taken to the . We tell stories with heart, humor, and authenticity to celebrate American life. There, Owen ordered his victim into the woods, took his watch and wallet to make it look like a robbery, hit him in the head with the nightstick and stabbed Douglas Gissendaner in the neck eight to 10 times.