The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative
Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other
shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org.
January 4, 2023

Amber McLaughlin Becomes First Trans Woman Executed in United States
--------------------------------------------------------------------

In Missouri, Amber Mc Laughlin died by lethal injection Tuesday night,
becoming the first openly transgender woman executed in U.S. history. Mc
Laughlin's plea for clemency was denied despite detailing a history of
childhood abuse and struggles with severe mental health issues as an
adult - evidence that was ignored in her 2006 murder trial. The jury was
deadlocked over her sentencing, but Missouri law allows the trial judge
to issue a sentence in those cases, including the death penalty. In a
final written statement, Mc Laughlin said, "I am sorry for what I did. I
am a loving and caring person." She was 49 years old.


.