US grandmother set to be executed

Teresa Lewis, 41, set to be the first woman to be put to death in Virginia state in almost 100 years.
Last Modified: 23 Sep 2010 09:16 GMT


The US state of Virginia is set to execute by lethal injection a 41-year-old grandmother, the first woman to be put to death in Virginia in almost 100 years.

The US supreme court late on Tuesday rejected a last-minute reprieve for Teresa Lewis, who will receive a lethal injection at 0100 GMT on Friday morning.

The court said in its brief ruling that the stay of execution requested by Lewis "is denied".

Abolitionists paint Lewis as an example of why capital punishment is flawed, saying she has diminished mental faculties and was taken advantage of by smarter accomplices.

But with an IQ of about 70 or above, Lewis is considered fit for trial in the southern state of Virginia and she pleaded guilty to hiring two men in 2002 to murder her husband and stepson to pocket their $350,000 life insurance policy.

No intervention

Adding to the supreme court's decision, Bob McDonnell, the Virginia governor, has said he will not intervene to stop the execution, seeming to remove all final chances for a reprieve.

"After numerous evaluations, no medical professional has concluded that Teresa Lewis meets the medical or statutory definition of mentally retarded," he said in a statement.

He said he could find "no compelling reason to set aside the sentence that was imposed by the Circuit Court and affirmed by all reviewing courts".

Lewis met Rodney Fuller and Matthew Shallenberger in a Walmart superstore. Soon she began an affair with the 22-year-old Shallenberger and encouraged her 16-year-old daughter to get together with Fuller, who was 19.

Lewis admits she left the door of the family trailer in rural Pittsylvania County open in 2002 so the two young accomplices could enter and shoot her husband and his 25-year-old son, who was in the military.

All three pleaded guilty. The triggermen got life in prison, but Lewis, who was deemed fit to stand trial, was sentenced to death as the mastermind of the killings.

But Lewis's supporters offer a different picture of a borderline mentally disabled woman, who has struggled with a behavioral dependency disorder and was addicted to prescription drugs.

And they further question why she should be executed when the two men who actually carried out the murder were handed life without parole.

Ahmadinejad's comment

Lewis's case made global headlines on Tuesday when Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, contrasted the lack of protest over her impending execution to the "storm" surrounding a woman sentenced to be stoned in Iran.

"A woman is being executed in the United States for murder but nobody protests against it," Ahmadinejad told a group of Islamic figures in the US on Monday, according to IRNA, Iran's official news agency.

Iran has been under international pressure to spare the life of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, a 43-year-old mother who was sentenced to death by stoning for adultery in 2006.

Lewis's lawyers argue that new evidence, including her low IQ, has appeared since her trial that should prevent her execution.

The key piece of evidence they wanted considered was a letter from Shallenberger, who killed himself in jail in 2006, in which he claims full responsibility for the murder plot and suggests he pushed Lewis into it.

"From the moment I met her I knew she was someone who could be easily manipulated," he allegedly wrote. "Killing Julian and Charles Lewis was entirely my idea. I needed money, and Teresa was an easy target."

Lewis will become only the 12th woman to be executed in the US since the death penalty was reintroduced in 1976. In that time 1,215 people have been executed.

The US is among the countries that execute the most people each year, along with China, Iran, and Saudi Arabia.


http://english.aljazeera.net/video/americas/2010/09/201092383014117772.html

I laughed after reading this piece and shook head.

its sad but thats the law.perpetrators know wht awaits them

MrPrsdent:

its sad but thats the law.perpetrators know wht awaits them

Compare your statement and what Islam enshrined for its law offenders who are aware of it. Does it deserve all the blames it gets whenever a culprit is (or to be) penalized over so-so misdeed?

Hence Ahmadinejad's comment stands valid and on point.

P:S

This is just to stress that point. Ain't say you do anything wrong, or you talk about Islam or Muslim. Thanks.

She arranged for her husband to be killed and the punishment should be death.

The punishment for adultery cant be justifiably death. How can anyone compare adultery to murder, if anyone kills in any country he too should die.

But death sentence for Adultery? Who did she kill by the adulterous act? Which life did she end to justify being put to death and BTW what of the man she commited the adulterous act with?

The law is a law, isn't it? If you think killing whoever kills is that justifiable what of other states where who killed is not killed?

I'm, at least for now, not in any position to justify these laws to you. It'll mean derailing the thread. Come to Islam for Muslim section for this and more questions like this; inshaAllah answered they'll be.

Thanks.

^^ can i ask here?who did she commit adultery with? what is the punishment for the person? Thanks.

He who kills by the sword, dies by the sword!
Forgiveness is divine.
If a person kills, he/she could be killed.
If a person commits adultery, why should he/she be killed?
By that yardstick, roughly 65% of couples will be killed because people commit adultery everyday!
Thanks Oluite, what happened to the man she slept with? Biased judgement, I must state!
Well posted, dayokanu!

muhsin:

The law is a law, isn't it? If you think killing whoever kills is that justifiable what of other states where who killed is not killed?

I'm, at least for now, not in any position to justify these laws to you. It'll mean derailing the thread. Come to Islam for Muslim section for this and more questions like this; inshaAllah answered they'll be.

Thanks.

And can't you see that there are people already campaigning for the abolition of this death penalty law even in the US itself? it is rather silly to compare this with someone sentenced to death for abortion, it show a lack of clarity in thinking. If someone has killed another, it is natural justice that the blood should be atoned for in some way, the countries that abolished the death penalty are only being magnanimous.

I personally don't believe in a death penalty as the life gone cannot be got back so its revenge in my opinion but it is something I can understand because someone else has been denied of life and there are usually people hurting who could exert vengeance by themselves, but the death sentence for adultery totally boggles the mind particularly when the co participant goes free.

una no go allow Muslims to answer that one.Murder Vs Adultery, Ahmadinejad is a very retard Leader though Iran is doing well in terms of Tech.

She has been killed already joooor.

She is dead already

her last words were to ask for forgiveness from the daughter of the man she killed

Moments before she died, Lewis asked if her husband's daughter was near.

She had been convicted of enticing two men to kill her husband, Julian Clifton.

Kathy Clifton, Julian's daughter and Lewis' stepdaughter, was in an adjacent witness room blocked from the inmate's view by a two-way mirror.

'I want Kathy to know that I love her and I'm very sorry,' Lewis said.

CORRUPTION IN CHINA IS ALSO PUNISHIBLE BY DEATH DEPENDING ON THE LEVEL OF CURRUPTION.

pls can any christian tell me the relation btw CORRUPTION AND MURDER?
why will you blame muslim for excuting people that commit adultery for simply following instruction given by  their God while nobody is castigating china for eliminating drug pushers and currupt government officials.

What goes around comes around. Judgment belongs to God

nanidee:

Ahmadinejad or Alamdinejad or whatever he calls himself is an outright retard, how on earth can he compare killing someone for adultery with killing someone because the person killed someone else? he is a real retard, disgusting schmuck.

I beg to differ that he is a retard. He makes more sense than most leaders. ( at least in his UN speeches). The law is the law. Depending on where you live, the consequence of your actions differ. Ignorance to the law is no excuse and hence should not be used. If you live in a place where death is the consequence of adultery, why do it? And if you must, move out of the area! it is that simple.

^^ Hi MsTom,

Have you considered abolishing senseless laws?

At some time, The punishment for having twins is death by dumping them in the bush. I bet If some people didnt challenge such laws we would have said

"The law is the law. Depending on where you live, the consequence of your actions differ. Ignorance to the law is no excuse and hence should not be used. If you live in a place where death is the consequence for having twins, why do it? And if you must, move out of the area! it is that simple."


How can death be the punishment for adultery and Where is the man she commited the adultery with?

dayokanu:

^^ Hi MsTom,

Have you considered abolishing senseless laws?

At some time, The punishment for having twins is death by dumping them in the bush. I bet If some people didnt challenge such laws we would have said

"The law is the law. Depending on where you live, the consequence of your actions differ. Ignorance to the law is no excuse and hence should not be used. If you live in a place where death is the consequence for having twins, why do it? And if you must, move out of the area! it is that simple."


How can death be the punishment for adultery and Where is the man she commited the adultery with?

You know that is his beliefs and that country is founded on their beliefs, hence the law. So, I cant answer your question on the "how" cos I dont have the same faith as them. Hence, why I would say if you must see other people, dont live in Iran. If you must be involved in corruption/ drugs, dont live in china Until someone somewhere can change their beliefs

Does death sentence for adultery make sense in rational human thinking? And one question missing is WHERE IS THE MAN WHOM THE COMMITTED THE ACT TOGETHER.

Regarding them relocating from that place, In some part of Nigeria, where a child behaves strangely the law there convict the child as a witch and they either burn their hands or hammer 6inches nails to their heads.

If you hear about such scenarios would you just advise people to leave the area or work to abolish such laws?

If ppl complain that some Nigerian laws are bad, Do you advise them to leave Nigeria or work to abolish such laws?

I think she has been executed.
Her lawyer's argument was that she committed the crimes because her IQ was very low.

For those defending the leader of Iran, I have question. Isn't rape considered adultery in Islam? If that is the case, how is that a woman's fault when he is first set upon by a man, then by the law?

dayokanu:

Does death sentence for adultery make sense in rational human thinking? And one question missing is WHERE IS THE MAN WHOM THE COMMITTED THE ACT TOGETHER.

Regarding them relocating from that place, In some part of Nigeria, where a child behaves strangely the law there convict the child as a witch and they either burn their hands or hammer 6inches nails to their heads.

If you hear about such scenarios would you just advise people to leave the area or work to abolish such laws?

If ppl complain that some Nigerian laws are bad, Do you advise them to leave Nigeria or work to abolish such laws?

The only issue I have with your views is that it is based on your own value systems and culture. But all in all, you cannot use contemporary Western law as a base with which to judge legal systems in other cultures. That is wrong.
Every culture has the right to formulate and implement its own legal framework and structures. Consequently you cannot blame that government when it decides to execute judgement in accordance with, and consistent with this laid down framework.

Vquest:

For those defending the leader of Iran, I have question. Isn't despoil considered adultery in Islam? If that is the case, how is that a woman's fault when he is first set upon by a man, then by the law?

You are even personalising it. It is not the law of Ahmedinajad but the law of the Republic of Iran which he is constitutionally bound to uphold.
As for carnal assault different legal cultures for whatever reason have seen it fit not just to look at the actual act of carnal assault itself but the whole circumstances leading up to it.
Again you can not use the American legal system where the emphasis is on consent, as a base to judge another country's legal system where the emphasis is on things like context and circumstance.

tensor777:

The only issue I have with your views is that it is based on your own value systems and culture. But all in all, you cannot use contemporary Western law as a base with which to judge legal systems in other cultures. That is wrong.
Every culture has the right to formulate and implement its own legal framework and structures. Consequently you cannot blame that government when it decides to execute judgement in accordance with, and consistent with this laid down framework.

Then should we blame or attempt to change the culture of killing of twins, Burning od suspected child witches, Tyre barbequeing suspected robbers etc Since all these laws too are based on some perceived cultures and we have no right to use western cultures to judge.

A culture can say if a child pees in bed he should be buried alive or says you have to rape 20 virgins and decapitate them before you can be called a chief. What do you have to say to that? Should we turn our heads to the other side since the western culture is not supposed to dictate?

dayokanu:

Then should we blame or attempt to change the culture of killing of twins, Burning od suspected child witches, Tyre barbequeing suspected robbers etc Since all these laws too are based on some perceived cultures and we have no right to use western cultures to judge.
A culture can say if a child pees in bed he should be buried alive or says you have to despoil 20 virgins and decapitate them before you can be called a chief. What do you have to say to that? Should we turn our heads to the other side since the western culture is not supposed to dictate?

Well we don't have to go too far in time to search for cultures where the laws, norms and belief systems were not codified as such.
But referring to the acts of barbarism that still occurs in urban areas of sub-saharan  Africa like burning of alleged petty thiefs we can regard it as jungle justice and the perpetrators as murderers since they are not acting in accordance with any laid down legal framework.
So there has to be some framework which would ensure that justice is dispensed after a formal period of accusation, charge, trial and conviction.
Consequently punishments meted out by frenzied mobs of urban thugs or mass murders carried out by bloodthirsty mercenaries in the pay of a local chief cannot be used as an example of dispensation of justice.

muhsin:

Compare your statement and what Islam enshrined for its law offenders who are aware of it. Does it deserve all the blames it gets whenever a culprit is (or to be) penalized over so-so misdeed?

Hence Ahmadinejad's comment stands valid and on point.

P:S

This is just to stress that point. Ain't say you do anything wrong, or you talk about Islam or Muslim. Thanks.

Must we always bring religion into every issue?

Thank you America for getting rid of her.

Imagine the fools that were against the death penalty using excuse like her IQ is close to that of a retard.

And so?

If her IQ is so low that she is a danger to society and can decide to kill others that is the more reason to eliminate her in my opinion.

dayokanu:

She arranged for her husband to be killed and the punishment should be death.

The punishment for adultery cant be justifiably death. How can anyone compare adultery to murder, if anyone kills in any country he too should die.

But death sentence for Adultery? Who did she kill by the adulterous act? Which life did she end to justify being put to death and BTW what of the man she commited the adulterous act with?

Thank you.

Utter stewpid to kill someone for adultery.

bigbish:

CORRUPTION IN CHINA IS ALSO PUNISHIBLE BY DEATH DEPENDING ON THE LEVEL OF CURRUPTION.

pls can any christian tell me the relation btw CORRUPTION AND MURDER?
why will you blame muslim for excuting people that commit adultery for simply following instruction given by  their God while nobody is castigating china for eliminating drug pushers and currupt government officials.

What clunking rubbish point.

Corruption can indirectly or directly lead to death and immense suffering of a lot of people. Why do you think the life expectancy in Nigeria is 47?

dayokanu:

^^ Hi MsTom,

Have you considered abolishing senseless laws?

At some time, The punishment for having twins is death by dumping them in the bush. I bet If some people didnt challenge such laws we would have said

"The law is the law. Depending on where you live, the consequence of your actions differ. Ignorance to the law is no excuse and hence should not be used. If you live in a place where death is the consequence for having twins, why do it? And if you must, move out of the area! it is that simple."


How can death be the punishment for adultery and Where is the man she commited the adultery with?

There is absolutely no basis of comparison between and action of choice and a natural occurence.

dayokanu:

Does death sentence for adultery make sense in rational human thinking? And one question missing is WHERE IS THE MAN WHOM THE COMMITTED THE ACT TOGETHER.

Regarding them relocating from that place, In some part of Nigeria, where a child behaves strangely the law there convict the child as a witch and they either burn their hands or hammer 6inches nails to their heads.

If you hear about such scenarios would you just advise people to leave the area or work to abolish such laws?

If ppl complain that some Nigerian laws are bad, Do you advise them to leave Nigeria or work to abolish such laws?

Those are not laws, those are just retards acting superstitiously.

First time in my life to hear that 'US' executed som1.

A woman executed for plotin the killin of her husband and her step son? in AMERICA? . . .UNBELIEVABLE !!!
(I never knew that America knows anything Execution in their court of law). But come to think of it;Executin som1 that ploted the killin, and live jail sentence to the Hired killers? What kind of judgement is that?  (sounds like a commedy to me)! Tell you what, i don't really get the main reason why that woman was executed, Is it b'cos, she plotted the killin, or, b'cos she killed 'TWO PEOPLE'. Can som1 pls help me out on the main reason why that woman was executed?

'EXECUTION' IN AMERICA ? . . .WONDERFUL. stil can believe this !!!