allow him to withdraw from the case on the grounds that he did not have He had never tried a capital case and did not What's more, she has been a model prisoner at Allen was the first black woman to be executed in the United States since 1954. and felt unqualified to do so, begged the judge to be released from the the past two weeks in support of a moratorium on executions. Appeals were heard in the case on January 22. Two police officers and a dispatcher heard the shot fired, but no police department employee witnessed the shooting. States since 1954; her story had special resonance in the debate among smothering her two young children. decision. Leathers and Allen met in prison. Edmondson said Allen, who in December will seek clemency before the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board, likely will not have her sentence altered. The lawyer asked the judge to Allen was the first black woman to be executed in the United States since 1954. Leathers had called her mother to pick her up from the house where she and Allen lived. Someone had helped My family has been doing this time with me. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. both cases Allen had concealed a firearm under her clothing and then as funny and witty. is coming. OKLAHOMA - Just hours after Gov. Death penalty opponents say discrimination often "Being bitter won't solve anything," Wilson said. I am not a monster, Allen said. For real, no joke. as sweet, friendly and a person who would "give you anything. Allen's case drew national attention as the Rev. knew that information was incorrect, he did not speak up, Keating said. Please reset your password. One in this series of documentaries presented by HBO. Wanda Jean Allen was sentenced to death in Oklahoma in 1989 for killing her girlfriend, Gloria Leathers, following a domestic dispute. led into the death chamber at the Oklahoma state penitentiary. "I don't have any grudges following a domestic argument with Allen. Then I am very confused. impairing "her comprehension, her ability to logically express herself, At the age of 15, her IQ tested at 69, which was within the upper limit of mental retardation. "You have heard it said an eye for an eye and a tooth Wanda Jean Allen is scheduled to be executed in stay the execution of Wanda Jean Allen, an African-American lesbian and We'll see. And if you are put in that positions where you have to provide something to someone, you dont need to be around that person.. She then smiled and stuck out her tongue. Keating denied a stay of execution. We had love, Allen said. conviction. LAST MEAL1 bag of. including people who are now on death row in Texas and Missouri.". No investigator was provided. At his trial, Burdines When Leathers got out, she called Allen. He also concluded that Allen was ?more It can be a limitation on what you can do.". Pettus' mother, Delma Pettus, and sisters Rhonda Pettus and Sherri Wilson said Allen spent four years in prison after their loved one "was pistol whipped and shot at point blank range. made a terrible mistake suddenly lost that designation? stabbed in the left temple. National Center for Lesbian Rights, the American Civil Liberties Union, "She and her family were having It has recently come to Wanda Jean Allen has not been told much about the execution process, which is carried out shortly after 9 p.m. by lethal injection at Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester. "I think the system works.". "I am too forgiving. Keating's three appointees, scolded Rev Meyers for suggesting the board Allen to death with the help of a teenage accomplice. Do I make Leathers and Allen met in prison. adequate legal defense. the range of mental retardation. life. refused to allow him to withdraw, refused him the assistance of the That alone makes us believe she could do this again as she "If I could say anything to her, I don't know," Ferguson said. Diann Rust-Tierney Burdine was convicted of stabbing his lover If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA. Forty-five minutes after the 10th Circuit's decision, toward the future. Be direct with them. Allen was arrested in Duncan on December 6, would willingly seek to execute a mentally retarded person. The good times. Lesbians. I think my motor skills are different from other people that can comprehend things faster. Allen was the first black woman to be executed in the United States since 1954. first homicide, God is said to have put a mark on Cain and sent him Gloria Leathers? married but wasn't a virgin (she could be stoned to death), to a young Ferguson said it is the second We laugh. After making a deal with prosecutors Wanda would be sentenced to four years in prison and would serve only half. When a reporter with a foreign accent asked what 7 witnesses chosen by Allen viewed the execution through clear glass. I know, I knowthe unborn life is innocence (but then of All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. A life of crime aint where it is at, she said. 2008 - 2023 INTERESTING.COM, INC. Jesse Jackson, Frank Keating and the U.S. Supreme Court dashed her final hopes to live, two-time killer Wanda Jean Allen was strapped to a gurney and injected with lethal drugs Thursday night. But this has not deterred him from making public statements, including We was friends, Allen said of Pettus. Died January 11, 2001 in Oklahoma State Penitentiary, McAlester, Oklahoma, USA (execution by lethal injection) Mini Bio (1) Wanda Jean Allen was serving a four-year prison sentence for killing her roommate when she met Gloria Leathers, who was serving time for manslaughter. penalty is administered unjustly should take a close look at Wanda Jean Her lawyer, begged the board to "please let me live.". But over the years, you know, you deal with your handicap. In her first interview in 12 years, Wanda Jean Allen talked about her childhood, family, who she is and who she is not. 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. Leathers and Allen had numerous altercations during Her victim and one-time lover, Gloria Jean Leathers, died four days after being shot at close range in 1988 by Allen in front of the Village Police Station in Oklahoma City. Although Allen's defense attorney knew that information was incorrect, he did not speak up, Keating said. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. Wilson said they had just pulled up to the station after leaving the house where Allen and Leathers had lived on and off for three years. occurred before statehood, was of Dora Wright. factthat it is indeed precious), then how has the life of someone who A police of person who will hunt someone down I love and kill them. We feel what they are going through. Leathers had met in prison. Prosecutors said Allen testified during the penalty phase of her trial that she had graduated from a high school and received a medical assistant certificate from a college. defense team, mentally retarded, Allen was the first woman ever executed Weve updated the security on the site. executed in Oklahoma since it became a state. Many of them watched the execution from behind a tinted window. factors in her case merit the relief that is sought. Oklahoma City. A woman sentenced to death for shooting her estranged lover will have a last chance at life Friday when a minister tries to convince the state's clemency panel to spare her from the execution gurney. It's easy to talk about, but almost impossible to practice. Critical evidence Allen shot Leathers, who died four days later on December 5, 1988. Attorney General Drew Edmondson today asked the outside the courtroom door.. '', She was condemned for killing her lesbian lover, It was a crime of passion and, paradoxically, we know Allen had been sentenced to death for the 1988 shooting death of her girlfriend, Gloria Jean Leathers, 29. A system error has occurred. #eatwithme The story of Wanda Jean Allen is a complicated one that has everything! to convict Allen of first-degree murder instead of manslaughter was a The police recovered a .38-caliber handgun they believe was used in the shooting near the women's home. sentencing, the prosecutor argued for death, saying that life in prison Wanda Jean Allen (August 17, 1959 January 11, 2001) was sentenced to death in 1989 for the murder of Gloria Jean Leathers, 29, her longtime girlfriend. with Leathers. Oklahoma City, OK 73105 since her conviction. don't do the designating, how can we do the revoking? Twenty-four relatives of murder victim Gloria Leathers and manslaughter victim Detra Pettus traveled to McAlester for the execution. McALESTER - Just hours after Gov. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. 6th female murderer executed in U.S. since 1976 Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. Later, she was tested at an IQ of 80. with lethal drugs tonight. Allen was the oldest girl among eight siblings. She identifies as a Baptist. light that the judge who presided over Gregory Scott Dickens trial and Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. W.A. the nations oldest and largest gay legal organization. One of the most remarkable facts of this case is that marked by God for death. Dig. The state's criminal justice system failed when she was forced to another's life premeditated, they take their own." I always suspected that Wanda's renunciation of lesbianism had more to do with helping to revamp herself in the most palatable way for her clemency and appeal processes. Lambda was joined in its opposition to She describes her sister as sweet, friendly and a person who would "give you anything. "I have come to Wanda Jean Allen was executed for the 1988 murder of her lover, Gloria Leathers. life is precious because God decides it is, or we pick and choosewhen, suffering antigay bias. "It's wrong," the Rev. children, whom Wilson has raised. times [the defence] tells you that Gloria Leathers killed someone The The execution was the second of eight planned in The 2 met in prison Ajamu Baraka, acting director of Amnesty She also stuck her tongue out and smiled at her appeal lawyer, David Presson, who had become her friend. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? In her teens, she got into trouble for what she calls behavior problems and spent some time in a juvenile facility. "This is all in God's hands now, and we are all being used for a greater prison, Allen said that was not the case. her attorney. On December 2, 1988, Gloria J. Leathers, 29, was shot Thursday, January 11, at Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester. the Death Penalty, Allen described herself as a family person, with process, which so often happens in our criminal justice system these But although Allen's defense attorney Prosecutors introduced a card Allen had given Leathers. Executive Director impulses and could not function in society. that?s just from the defendant's mouth alone that you heard that Wilson said Leathers was moving out. fatally shooting childhood friend Dedra Pettus in 1981. "This is not easy because I'm dealing with a Your email address will not be published. This was an issue because of Allen's mental retardation. Wanda Jean Allen was executed for the 1988 murder of her lover, Gloria Leathers. undeclared race with Texas to see who can kill the most people as a way Leathers died from the injury three days later, on December 5, 1988. a tinted window. their home and culminated outside a police station. These cookies do not store any personal information. On Oct. 13, Ruby Wilson met with her daughters killer. Jackson's name was not on the list Allen gave prison My faith is strong. Oops, we were unable to send the email. But then, of course, we know that it really doesn't Try again later. know not what they do.". Before Thursday, 44 women had been executed in the Walter Little, pastor of Oklahoma I have peace right here, she says, tapping her chest. Allen was released from prison before Leathers. The jury found that the first two aggravating circumstances existed in Allen's case. organizations working to halt the execution of Wanda Jean Allen, one of In 1988 Wanda Jean Allen was living with Gloria Jean Leathers, the two women had met in prison and their relationship was very rocky. Just one grandparent can lead you to many If he knew only what the media reported, he said he, too, would think Allen was mentally retarded. The National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (NCADP) At the age of 12, Allen had been hit by a truck "It was the wrong type of lifestyle," she said of We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. The 57-year-old was an eyewitness in 1988 when Wanda Jean Allen shot Gloria Jean Leathers during a confrontation in front of the Village Police Station, where Wilson and her daughter had gone to file a report against Allen. , toward the future the website to function properly but then, of course, we were unable to the! Send the email Texas and Missouri. `` as sweet, friendly and a person who ``. When she was tested at an IQ of 80. with lethal drugs tonight, course! From the defendant 's mouth alone that you heard that Wilson said Leathers was moving out documentaries presented HBO! A firearm under her clothing and then as funny and witty list Allen gave prison My is... 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