Wanda Jean Allen put to death for killing lesbian lover

McALESTER, Okla. (AP) -- A woman convicted of killing a childhood<br>friend and later murdering a lesbian lover was executed Thursday<br>night, the first black woman executed in the United States since<br>1954.<br>

Thursday, January 11th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

McALESTER, Okla. (AP) -- A woman convicted of killing a childhood
friend and later murdering a lesbian lover was executed Thursday
night, the first black woman executed in the United States since
1954.

Wanda Jean Allen, 41, was pronounced dead at 9:21 CST after
receiving a lethal dose of drugs at the Oklahoma State
Penitentiary.

"Father forgive them," Allen said in her final statement.
"They know not what they do."

She smiled at one of the witnesses. The smile faded as the drugs
took effect. Her eyelids slowly closed and her head lowered to the
gurney.

Gov. Frank Keating, an ardent supporter of the death penalty,
cleared the way for the execution by denying a late request for a
30-day stay. This was the second of eight executions planned in
Oklahoma over the next four weeks.

Allen, 41, was the first woman ever executed in Oklahoma. She
was sentenced to death for shooting and killing her lover, Gloria
Leathers, in 1988 outside a police station after an argument at a
grocery store. At the time of the slaying, she was on parole for
the killing of a friend, Detra Pettus.

"This is not easy because I'm dealing with a fellow human
being," Keating said in announcing that he wouldn't stay the
execution. "This is not easy because I'm dealing with a fellow
Oklahoman."

Attorney General Drew Edmondson said that the victims were
foremost in Keating's mind.

"Twenty-four representatives of those two families are here
tonight, 20 members of the family of Gloria Leathers and four
members of the family of Detra Pettus," Edmondson said.

"Our thoughts are with them this evening."

Protesters outside the governor's mansion in Oklahoma City
chanted:

"Hey Keating. What do you say? How many people have to die
today?"

Ellen Wisdom of Norman said she felt bad for her state. "I think it's Oklahoma's embarrassment," she said. "I think it's appalling the number of people we're willing to execute in this state."

Outside the gates at the Oklahoma State Prison, pro- and
anti-death penalty groups gathered in clusters, talking in low
voices and shivering in the cold.

Ann Scott, whose daughter Elaine Marie Scott was murdered in
1991, said she resented the Rev. Jesse Jackson coming to Oklahoma
to try to stop the execution.

"I highly resent his being here and teaching Oklahomans civil
disobedience," she said. "I think the system works. I don't know
why we need a moratorium."

The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver denied a
request Thursday to stay the execution as did the U.S. Supreme
Court.

Keating considered giving Allen a stay based on the narrow issue
of whether the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board had enough
information regarding Allen's education.

Keating met Thursday with Jackson and Edmondson before making
his decision.

Jackson was one of about two dozen people arrested Wednesday
night for trespassing in a protest at the women's prison where
Allen had been held. He had hoped to attend the execution, but
state officials denied his request.

"Execution is murder and the state must not engage in murder,"
he told protesters.

Allen's attorneys have pointed to her score, a 69, on an IQ test
she took in the 1970s, arguing she is in the range of mental
retardation.

Prosecutors said Allen testified during the penalty phase of her
trial that she had graduated from high school and received a
medical assistant certificate from a college.

As it turns out, Allen dropped out of high school at 16 and
never finished course work in the medical assistant program.

"Please let me live. Please let me live," the slight woman
begged in a whisper during a clemency hearing in December. Clemency
was denied.

Allen's attorneys asked a federal judge Wednesday to grant a
stay of execution and order a new clemency hearing. U.S. District Judge Tim Leonard denied the request.

Allen said in a recent interview that she cared for Leathers and
"loved her as a person."

Leathers' mother, Ruby Wilson, has said she did not hold any
grudges against Allen, saying she didn't hate her but hated what
she did.

"I hope she found peace with Christ about it. It does hurt. I
will never forget it. I will always see it. That is in the past. I
have to go on toward the future," Wilson said.

Allen said she did not fear her death.

"I'm not afraid of what man can do to me, because my trust is
in someone else." That someone else is God, she said.

"He said 'Take no thought of tomorrow because we don't know
what tomorrow is bringing."'

Here are some of the comments that kotv.com visitors have made about the execution. Note: the opinions expressed by kotv.com visitors do not represent that of kotv.com ownership and management.

As for the Execution of Wanda Jean Allen, I did not know that you could get the death penalty for Manslaughter.
I do not believe in the Death Penalty,and I really wish we would do away with it all together. How can our hearts and minds be clear knowing we have done the very same act of violence?
Lisa, Age: 42
Tulsa, Oklahoma

I wanted to call my comment in this morning but time did not allow as I have to be at work at 7:00. I resent Jesse Jackson saying that Christians do not believe in capitol punishment. I am a Christian and I do believe in it and it is in line with the Word of God. He kept saying that we should not murder. According to Websterâ€™s dictionary this is the definition of murder:
An unlawful and malicious or premeditated killing of one human being or another. To kill unlawfully and with malice. This is not what the death penalty is. We as society execute. The definition of execute is: to put to death in accordance with a legally imposed sentence.
God will forgive these people if they truly repent. He did not tell us that we would not have to pay the earthly price for the sin.
I have never lost a loved one to murder but I feel very strongly that we as a society have to do all we can to stop the crime. I say crucify them on a cross and let them die the kind of death that their victims did.
Carol, Age: 51
Tulsa OK

We do not need the death penalty in Oklahoma,life in prison is better.The system does not work the same for every one,not everyone can afford a defense.I would hate to think that I only had 800.00 to defend myself on a capitol murder charge.There was no reason to kill Wanda Jean Allen she was locked up forever and could not hurt anyone.
Lana,
Stroud