Mississippi could execute its first female death row inmate in seven decades this week, putting Michelle Byrom to death for arranging the death of her allegedly abusive husband, UPI reported.
Requested by Attorney General Jim Hood, the Supreme Court has been asked to designate Thursday as the execution day this week for approval. However, the Supreme Court, which has the final say on executions, has not yet come to a conclusive date.
Since 1944, no executions have taken place in the state. Byrom will be the first white woman and the 19th woman to be executed since 70 years.
"Attorney General Jim Hood requested Tuesday that Michelle Byrom be executed by lethal injection for the 1999 murder of her husband, Edward Byrom Sr.," Time reported.
After having her son and a friend of his arrange her husband's death in order to collect his $150,000 life insurance, Byrom was convicted and sentenced to death by lethal injection in 2000, according to UPI.
Joey Gillis, the son's friend, was to be paid $15,000 by Byrom, prosecutors said.
"Her advocates say her trial lawyers, handling their first death penalty case, did not introduce crucial evidence, including letters her son wrote admitting the killing," UPI reported. "Edward Byrom Jr., who pleaded guilty to lesser charges and testified against his mother, is now out of prison."
According to Time, advocates of Byrom cite her son's reported confessions as strong reasons that she deserves a stay of execution.
"He slaps me, then goes back to his room. As I sat on my bed, tears of rage flowing, remembering my childhood, my anger kept building and building," the son wrote, describing his last encounter with his father.
Former state Supreme Court Justice Oliver Diaz Jr. believes Byrom should get a new trial.
"The majority of Mississippians support the death penalty because they think that people get fair trials and they think that they have competent attorneys representing them," Diaz told CNN. "In this case, she didn't have either one."
