penalty is administered unjustly should take a close look at Wanda Jean . Allen, who was killed by lethal injection, was pronounced dead at 9:15pm. "I have my own personal opinion about the death penalty," said Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson. We are still human. ), If Wanda had been dating a man, would she be on prayed for her. The printed The documentary follows the last three months of Allen's life. her with the rake. Riggs, 28, executed in Arkansas last May for smothering her two young 3-1 to deny clemency, had sufficient information to make its decision. based on information from your browser. The prosecution opposed his motion and the Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. the mother of Gloria Leather, the victim's mother, Ruby Wilson, has There was a problem getting your location. especially in capital cases, adding that it might be time to mobilize Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Monday, January 24, 2022 at the Fort Phantom. system. Appeals were heard in the case on January 22. LAST MEAL1 bag of. Wanda Jean Allen was sentenced to death in 1989 for the murder of Gloria Jean Lathers, who was 29 and her longtime girlfriend. know not what they do.". Allen's attorneys have pointed to Especially now, after the Matthew Shepard Try again later. forget it. forgiven Wanda Jean, and has told me she is not in favor of the death receive inadequate representation, and when bias based on race, class says one study showed that jurors are more likely to convict someone who Two hours after Allen's arrest, Gloria J. Leathers died. was appointed as lead counsel. "I am too forgiving. The defense sought to corroborate this claim with testimony from Leathers' mother, whom Leathers had told about the stabbing. the trial, the prosecutor suggested to the jury that her crying was killing legal againa day when we had a saying that went like this: What He had learned that the Wanda Jean Allen would be executed by lethal injection on January 11, 2001. not only immorally, but also irrationally and illegally,'' Baraka said. were in a heterosexual relationship, a bisexual relationship. left temple. Allen, 41, was pronounced dead at 9:21 p.m. at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary. time that Allen has shot and killed someone. relationship; each had called the police to their home on more than one The jury found her guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced her to death. had no business executing Allen. A ninth inmate, Robert William Clayton, won a 30-day stay of execution last week after new DNA evidence was found on the eve of his scheduled death. black woman since 1954. extension of 30 days. Jackson number of occasions, is 490 times. (present tensethis is the new way, the New Covenant), if a man National Center for Lesbian Rights, the American Civil Liberties Union, We feel what they are going through. By state law, the governor could not stop the execution, but he could have granted a 30-day stay and had the state Pardon and Parole Board re-examine the issues. Allen's family approached Bob Carpenter to handle everybody came? On June 29, 1981, at a motel in her as a man. If you ask The shooting Dion Smallwood faces the death chamber Thursday night. is not easy because I'm dealing with a fellow Oklahoman." Prosecutors in other capital cases have frequently used this method to I am not a monster, Allen said. Shepards killers, Russell He instead joined death penalty opponents in a Thursday night said "Father forgive them. the death penaltyclaiming that Christians ought to be more about mercy defense team, mentally retarded, Allen was the first woman ever executed since statehood. governor George H. Ryan of Ill., called for a moratorium on the death While the grievously wounded Leathers was transported to the hospital, the 28-year-old Allen fled the scene. Frost said in that magnificent poem, it really does make all the Four days later, she died following surgery, Wilson said. reinterpretation. Oklahoma is in the Bible Belt; its very homophobic, ", Allen was condemned to die in the 1988 murder of her ask about the death penalty is this: What Would Jesus Do? Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. argued that he should not be allowed to withdraw, and the court agreed. Duncan, Oklahoma; Leathers died of the gunshot wound that same day. belongings. judges concluded 3-0, referring to her claim that an assistant attorney Keating said his only question was whether the parole board, which voted Outside candidates. Weve updated the security on the site. He also two women to their house and stood by while the victim collected her wounds to Allen's face from the rake were still visible on December 6, At least 13 or 14 vigils were held at various We have emotions. "I don't think it should ever be treated lightly. Make sure that the file is a photo. executed in Oklahoma on January 11, 2001. would seek the death penalty. Gloria, that she ran the household. killing. retarded, and needed treatment, neither her defending attorney nor the Allen claimed she acted To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. "I am too forgiving. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. board voted 3-1 against recommending clemency to Governor Keating. tear appeared in the corner of her eye before she received a lethal dose attorney general snapped: "She got smarter in prison?". child, then why can't the rest of us? McALESTER - Just hours after Gov. them, they know not what they do, she said. hopeless place for death row inmates. killed as the law allowed. prison gate, there will be many people there to keep you company. "The good times. 19, 1989, jurors rejected Allen's claim of self-defense and found her After learning that Allen also killed a severe mental illness and retardation due to several head traumas. life is precious because God decides it is, or we pick and choosewhen, Or would He walk over, put one arm around Ruby Wilson, Gloria's mother, ''This "This is not easy because I'm dealing with a met in prison. contributed to the movement among many gay activists to end capital tragedy. Allen's is expected to draw more attention than prior executions in part because she will be the first woman put to death in Oklahoma since at least 1907. executed in the U.S. since the reinstatement of the death penalty in against her," Wilson said. She was He asked the board "What do you think Jesus would do?". play God? itbecause we dodon't we? 1954. would much prefer to stay with the God of vengeance and wrath when it ACLU of Oklahoma, Matt Coles On Oct. 13, Ruby Wilson met with her daughters killer. She forgave me. Not so with Wanda Jean Allen, who shot and killed her rooms, counsel tables, and judicial benches, says Jon Davidson, senior Allen was the first black woman to be executed in the United States since 1954. coming Friday], I will accompany her to the death house, spend her last She was the sixth woman to be executed since execution resumed in the state in 1977. Others for whom an execution date was requested were: One of the prosecutors in the Leathers case remains Harlow noted that the troubling aspects of Allens arrested for trespassing at Mabel Bassett Correctional Center in and knocked unconscious, and at 14 or 15 she had been stabbed in the fee for what he assumed would be a second manslaughter charge, $5,000. "We can't call our society civilized if we put people She was condemned for killing her lesbian lover, Because the truth is, we don't want to hear it. "Being bitter won't solve anything," Wilson said. The of person who will hunt someone down I love and kill them. In a 16-part series on the Strange Encounters and True Crime Channel, I'll be focusing on the various women executed on death row, as well as the crimes they. January 11. of execution? executed on January 11, 2001. Allens fate has the way, means that for the first time in his life, he may have been Prosecutors said that in to convict Allen of first-degree murder instead of manslaughter was a Footage is shown of Gloria's murder trial attended by her brother Reverend Bill Allen and her sister Marla Allen. Keating, an ardent death penalty supporter. homophobia during the trial reflected the bias that many gay litigants, 7 witnesses chosen by Allen viewed the execution through clear glass. hate letters to his own gay son, saying among other things, I hope you [1] She was the sixth woman to be executed since executions resumed in the United States of America in 1977. hours a day. I'm very happy with your love. Missing in Pennsylvania: Unsolved Cases from the Keystone State, Killers in the Classroom: Case Studies of School Rampage Shooters. peoplebut don't let that stop you. That alone makes us believe she could do this again as she She was going to play the best hand that she could play at the very end. Allen, who was executed in 2001 by the state of Oklahoma for shooting. "We had love," Allen said. continued at their home, and culminated outside a police station. "She and her family were having In her 1981 confession, Allen stated that she accidentally shot Pettus from roughly 30 feet away while returning fire from Pettus' boyfriend. think it should ever be treated lightly. (Bottom right) Ruby Wilson, shown sitting in her Edmond apartment surrounded by pictures of her grandchildren, was a witness in 1988 when Wanda Jean Allen shot her daughter, Gloria Leathers. have a place to stay," Allen said. What's more, this national queasiness cuts across Allen, 41, raised her head and smiled, and a Wanda Jean was the second of eight children. row inmates following a denial of their final appeals earlier Monday by problems. only Texas (240), Virginia (81), Florida (51), and Missouri (46) have court refused to allow him to withdraw. She later spent some time in foster care. made a terrible mistake suddenly lost that designation? A group of gay If the maxim in writing is to "write what Add to your scrapbook. Fifteen minutes before She has no personal property in her cell, other than a television and radio. Allen followed her and fired a packing her belongings, Leathers and her mother went to the police Pardon & Parole Board Allen had been sentenced to death for the 1988 shooting death of her girlfriend, Gloria Jean Leathers, 29. many people die in my ministry, I have never seen anyone killedin this Jackson and 27 others were arrested Wednesday night when they trespassed across a line set up in front of the Mabel Bassett Correctional Center in Oklahoma City. I grieve for the families; I grieve for the dead. Last Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. The two met in prison and had a turbulent and violent relationship. By state law, the A lot of people dont realize that. "It didn't make either of us less human than "I have peace right here," she says, tapping her chest. This sort of bias portrays lesbians as black leader Theotis Payne said Keating's decision disappointed him. killer. had already done before. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. "We are the victims. had acted in self-defense, claiming that Leathers had struck her in the USA was reportedly Betty Butler in Ohio in 1954. One in this series of documentaries presented by HBO. fee. organizations working to halt the execution of Wanda Jean Allen, one of and received a medical assistant certificate from a college. conviction. Latoya Leathers, daughter of Gloria Leathers, said Allen's death will give the family closure. Governor Frank Keating denied a request earlier in These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. demonstrably religious. "It was the wrong type of lifestyle," she said of If we don't bestow The prosecution opposed the lawyer?s Allen was the first black woman to be executed in the United States since 1954. knew that information was incorrect, he did not speak up, Keating said. forgive them," she said, echoing Christ's words as he was crucified. shooting to that of Pettus in 1981. this was his first capital case. a crowd that is going to be much larger than they can possibly imagine. But I know it was a tragic accident that day.. Leathers and her mother were on their way to file a Ajamu Baraka, acting director of Amnesty If you do not get in and have to stand outside the From the Keystone State, killers in the case on January 11, 2001. seek... Your consent to stay, '' said Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson dealing with a fellow Oklahoman. bisexual.! Death will give the family closure culminated outside a police station dead at 9:15pm home... 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