The Georgia Pardons and Paroles Board Tuesday afternoon denied Kelly Gissendaner’s last-minute plea for clemency, despite an appeal from Pope Francis to spare her life.
Gissendaner was convicted of orchestrating the murder of her husband, Douglas Gissendaner, in 1997. But unlike most death penalty cases, Kelly Gissendaner did not actually commit the murder, nor was she present when a co-defendant carried it out.
Gregory Owen, her lover, stabbed Douglas Gissendaner to death. Owen took a plea deal and is serving life in prison; however, he will be eligible for parole in 2023.
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