Amber McLaughlin, 49, was sentenced to death on Tuesday and became the first openly transgender woman to be executed in the United States.
Only the Missouri governor’s pardon could save his life. Amber McLaughlin, 49, was executed by lethal injection Tuesday night, becoming the first transgender woman to be executed by the American judiciary.
Accused of murdering and raping a former girlfriend, Amber McLaughlin was sentenced to death in 2006. It was a Saint-Louis County (Missouri) judge who made the decision alone because the jury in court did not have unanimity.
Missouri is one of only two states, along with Indiana, that allow judges to hand down such a verdict in the event of jury indecision, CBS reports.
difficult childhood and mental disorders
The attorneys asked for forgiveness from Gov. Mike Parson (Republican) and highlighted their client’s traumatic childhood and her many mental disorders. But the elected official indicated he would not stop the execution even after reviewing the file.
Transgender woman Amber McLaughlin began her transition in prison four years ago. During her incarceration, she befriended Jessica Hicklin, also transgender and known for allowing Missouri prisoners to use hormone therapy.
Another transgender woman, Victoria Drain, is awaiting execution in the United States, reports USA Today. In October, the Ohio State Supreme Court upheld his death sentence.
The fate of Amber McLaughlin enlivens the debate over the death penalty in the United States, despite the low number of executions in 2022 (18, the lowest number since 1991 without Covid years).
The American Death Penalty Information Center (DPIC) denounced “botched executions,” citing the example of convict Joe Nathan James, 50, whose lethal injection took more than three hours.