Capital Punishment: Virginia Executes First Woman Since 1912

Teresa Lewis died by lethal injection at 9:13pm Thursday evening

Friends and supporters rallied outside the Greensville Correctional Facility as Lewis was put to death. The case had gained a great deal of attention in recent weeks due to the more than 7300 of requests to the Governor's office for a stay of execution. Virginia is second only to Texas when it comes to capital punishment.

WASHINGTON, DC (Catholic Online) - For the first time since 1912, the Commonwealth of Virginia has executed a woman. Teresa Lewis was pronounced dead at 9:13pm on Thursday evening from a lethal injection at the Greensville Correctional Center in Jarratt, Virginia. She is also the first woman put to death in the United States in five years.

On the evening October 30, 2002 Lewis, who was an active in her local church, prayed with her husband, then got up unlocked the door to their mobile home and placed their pit bull in an empty bedroom. Later, Matthew Shallenberger and Rodney Fuller entered with shotguns, shooting Julian Clifton Lewis Jr., and his son, Charles several times as they slept.

Teresa Lewis was convicted of planning the murders and enticing the two men with sex and money to participate. She had offered them a share of the $250,000 insurance policy her stepson had obtained when he was called to active duty with the U.S. Army.

Lewis had always been viewed by others as an active Christian. However, as reported by the Associated Press, she had prepared a statement that was read during a religious service at the correctional facility a few months ago.

"I was doing drugs, stealing, lying and having several affairs during my marriages. I went to church every Sunday, Friday and revivals but guess what? I didn't open my Bible at home, only when I was at church."

This statement was used to underscore the changes she was experiencing as Lewis' faith reportedly became more solid in prison. She was known to be an encouragement to others by singing hymns and praying.

Friends and supporters rallied outside the facility as Lewis was put to death. The case had gained a great deal of attention in recent weeks due to the more than 7300 of requests to the Governor's office for a stay of execution. Virginia is second only to Texas when it comes to capital punishment.

Appeals were made to the governor based to her gender, her mental disability and new information. This fresh evidence indicated that Lewis, who was described as borderline mentally disabled with an IQ of 70, was not the instigator of the killings.

Reportedly, Shallenberger, one of two killers who were given life sentences, wrote a letter taking credit for the plan. Fuller had committed suicide in 2006.

In a statement released from the Governor's office last week, McDonnell said, "Having carefully reviewed the petition for clemency, the judicial opinions in this case and other relevant materials, I find no compelling reason to set aside the sentence. . . . Accordingly, I decline to intervene."

James Rocap, Lewis' principal attorney, issued a reply, saying, "This is a bitter disappointment, particularly because of the very strong case for clemency, and the strong outpouring of support for Teresa from thousands of individuals and organizations."

"We intend to keep fighting for her life, however, because Teresa's execution would be such a grave injustice," he said.

The Virginia Catholic Conference, a cooperative effort of the Dioceses of Arlington and Richmond, also urged commonwealth Catholics to get involved. After the execution Executive Director Jeff Caruso issued the following statement:

"Last night, the Commonwealth carried out the death sentence of Teresa Lewis, making her the 108th Virginian to be executed since 1976.  In this case, Ms. Lewis received the death penalty despite the fact that the two men who physically committed the murders did not. That her life was not spared is a deeply regrettable outcome.

"In the weeks leading up to this execution, written appeals (for commutation of the sentence to life in prison without parole) were made to Governor McDonnell by the U.S. Papal Nuncio, the Virginia Bishops, and by many state residents.  The Virginia Catholic Conference also urged broad grassroots input via two action alerts distributed to its Email Advocacy Network.

"Many who wrote the Governor observed that, with maximum-security prisons and life-without-parole sentencing, the death penalty is not needed in our time and place and therefore should not be used.  The Virginia Catholic Conference will continue to advocate for nonlethal ways to punish offenders and protect society."

The last woman executed in Virginia took place in 1912 when Virginia Christian was sent to the electric chair for murder.

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