The US Supreme Court ruled that Lisa Montogomery’s previously deferred first death sentence in nearly 70 years could be carried out. On Wednesday, January 13, Reuters reports.
Kelly Henry, lawyer for Montgomery, in sharp remarks called the pending execution “a vicious, illegal and unnecessary manifestation of authoritarian power.”
It is planned that the woman will be given a lethal injection.
Thus, the execution of a female prisoner in the United States will take place for the first time since 1953.
Montgomery was convicted of the murder of 23-year-old Bobby Joe Stinnett in Skidmore, northwestern Missouri, in December 2004. The convict strangled the girl who was eight months pregnant. The convict’s lawyers tried to prove in court that their client was mentally ill.
A few days ago, a court in the US state of Indiana deferred the federal execution of Montgomery’s death sentence. Her mental health problems were cited as the cause.
At the same time, on January 2, the US Federal Court of Appeal ruled erroneous the decision of a lower judge who postponed the execution of Montgomery.
In November, the US Department of Justice authorized the execution of federal convicted criminals in any legal manner in the state. In particular, in some of them gas poisoning, execution by electric chair, and shooting are allowed.
In July, the US authorities resumed executions at the federal level 17 years later. Since 2003, an unofficial moratorium has been in effect – capital punishment was applied only at the state level. Three criminals were executed in the first week.