In what is thought to be the first execution of a transgender woman in the United States, a Missouri inmate was executed on Tuesday for a 2003 murder.
Amber McLaughlin, 49, was found guilty of stalking and killing a former girlfriend before disposing of her body near the Mississippi River in St. Louis. McLaughlin’s fate was sealed earlier Tuesday, 3rd January 2023, when Republican Gov. Mike Parson denied his request for clemency.
As the fatal dose of pentobarbital was given, McLaughlin chatted softly with a spiritual counsel by her side.
McLaughlin took a few deep breaths before closing her eyes. A few minutes later, she was pronounced dead.
Amber McLaughlin Obituary
According to The Associated Press, Amber McLaughlin was executed in Missouri on Tuesday.
According to the nonprofit Death Penalty Information Center, McLaughlin, 49, is thought to be the first openly transgender person executed in the United States and the first person executed in 2023.
According to The Associated Press, McLaughlin died via injection.
“I apologize for what I did. I am a compassionate and caring individual “According to The Associated Press, she stated in a last message.
Activists, politicians, and legal experts, including former judges, have criticized her execution for what they describe as flaws in the sentencing part of the trial.