|
|
| Black Woman Executed in Okla. |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 01/19/2001 |
|
A woman convicted of killing a childhood friend and later murdering a lesbian lover was executed on January 11, becoming the first black woman executed in the United States since 1954.Wanda Jean Allen, 41, was executed by lethal injections at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary. Gov. Frank Keating, an ardent death penalty supporter, cleared the way for the execution by denying a late request for a 30-day stay. A federal appeals court and the U.S. Supreme Court also refused to block the execution. Keating met with the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Attorney General Drew Edmondson before making his decision. Jackson was among two dozen people arrested the day before for trespassing during a protest at a women's prison. Allen's request for a stay was based on the narrow issue of whether the state parole board knew enough about her education. Her attorneys have said she scored 69 on an IQ test she took in the 1970s, suggesting that she is retarded. Prosecutors argued at a recent clemency hearing that Allen had graduated from high school and received a medical assistant certificate from Rose State College. In 1981, Allen fatally shot childhood friend Detra Pettus during an argument, and spent two years in prison. Seven years later, she killed her lover, Gloria Leathers, whom she met in prison. Before Thursday, 44 women had been executed in the United States since 1900. The last execution of a black woman came in 1954, when Ohio electrocuted Betty Jean Butler. The most recent woman to die was Christina Marie Riggs, 28, executed in Arkansas last May for smothering her two young children. |
advertise
|
privacy policy
|
add URL
|
about us
|
terms/disclaimer
|
contact us
|
join our team
|
help
A wrongful death is a claim against a third party that is brought in a civil lawsuit for money damages. There are many state statutes that provide for the people who can bring those actions and what damages that those people can obtain. When a family member dies because of another person, it is a scary. It can be hard to make decisions. If you have a Waco wrongful death, then you should call Dunnam & Dunnam. They have answers. They are compassionate and experienced fatal accident lawyer that can help you understand the laws and provide free case evaluations.