Kelly Renee Gissendaner

Georgia woman denied clemency, set to be executed tonight

The Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles has voted to deny clemency for a woman convicted of having her husband killed.

Kelly Renee Gissendaner is set to be executed tonight at Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison in Jackson, Ga., for her role in the Feb. 7, 1997, death of her husband, Douglas Gissendaner. She would be the first woman executed in Georgia in 70 years.

Gissendaner was convicted on Nov. 18, 1999, and sentenced to death the following day. A co-defendant, Gregory Bruce Owen, pleaded guilty and is serving a life sentence.

“There are no excuses for what I did,” Gissendaner said a statement, according to WXIA-TV. “I will never understand how I let myself fall into such evil.”

Gissendaner recently caused a stir when she requested her last meal. According to the Georgia Department of Corrections, her last meal will consist of cornbread; a side of buttermilk; two cheeseburgers; two large orders of french fries; cherry vanilla ice cream; popcorn; salad with boiled eggs, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, carrots, cheese and buttermilk dressing; and lemonade.

Media witnesses the execution are Kate Brumback of The Associated Press, Rhonda Cook of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Tyler Estep of the Gwinnett Daily Post, Tony Thomas of WSB-TV and Scott Light of WGCL-TV.