Grey was jailed for three years on Thursday after being convicted of manslaughter at. "While not wishing to minimize the gravity of the crime for which Ms. Gissendaner has been convicted, and while sympathizing with the victims, I nonetheless implore you, in consideration of the reasons that have been expressed to your board, to commute the sentence to one that would better express both justice and mercy," Vigano wrote. [13] The Georgia Republican Party's general counsel and Republican Bob Barr also supported clemency. 30 disqualified. She was sentenced on December 22, 2004. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Wendi Andriano was 30 when she murdered her husband in Mesa, Arizona, on October 8, 2000. You are stuck with the consequences of your mistakes or lack of knowledge.. "At one time, therefore, all the parties involved in the case thought a sentence less than death was appropriate for Ms. Gissendaner," her lawyers wrote. Now, after decades of fighting, he has been exonerated. Each page shows statistics on both male and female inmates. Shonda Dee Walter was 23 when she murdered an 83-year-old man in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, on March 25, 2003. She called for her standby lawyers, Brad Gardner and Emily Gilbert, and they spoke to her at length at the defense table. Gissendaner, 46, was found guilty in 1998 of recruiting her lover to kill her husband Doug. Applegate was nominated for outstanding performance by a female actor in a comedy series for her role in "Dead to Me" for the third time in a row. When Kelly arrived at the scene moments later, the two set fire to her husband's car and hid the body in the woods. Tiffany Moss who decided to represent herself at trial and not offer an explanation was quickly convicted andsentenced to death, YOB:1983RACE:BLACKGENDER:FEMALEHEIGHT:504WEIGHT:140EYE COLOR:BROWNHAIR COLOR:BLACK, MAJOR OFFENSE:MURDERMOST RECENT INSTITUTION:ARRENDALE STATE PRISONMAX POSSIBLE RELEASE DATE:DEATHACTUAL RELEASE DATE:CURRENTLY SERVINGCURRENT STATUS:ACTIVE. She was sentenced on April 1, 1999. Once transferred, Moss will be the only woman on death row in Georgia, according to Benoit. provided by Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens, CNN affiliate WGCL-TV in Atlanta reported. 5:58 PM EST, Tue February 24, 2015. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Each time the topic came up in conversations between Donald and Seabolt, "Donald reiterated his statement that Ms. Gissendaner did not need to worry about clemency as it was a foregone conclusion," they wrote. Investigators learned that Gissendaner had a boyfriend. CNN A Georgia stepmother is set to become the state's only female death row inmate after she was convicted this week of starving her 10-year-old stepdaughter to death. Moss would become the only. Norfolk Southern train derails in Springfield, Ohio, At least 12 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, Trump speaks at CPAC after winning straw poll, Grizzlies star Ja Morant to miss at least 2 games after alleged gun incident, How Paul Murdaugh testified "from the grave" to help convict his father, Man charged for alleged involvement in 2 transformer explosions, Promising drug could provide alternative to statins, new study finds, Iran to allow more inspections at nuclear sites, U.N. says, NTSB to investigate in-flight turbulence that left 1 passenger dead, Nikki Haley slams potential GOP contenders, and Trump and George W. Bush. Georgia executed a woman convicted for her role in her husband's death early Wednesday, despite several appeals to the U.S. and state Supreme Courts. Moss would be just the third woman executed in the states history, Lori Benoit, a spokeswoman for the Georgia Department of Corrections told CNN. [11] The women released a video detailing the impact Gissendaner had on their lives. / CBS/AP. / CBS/AP. Tragically Celia couldn't be saved and was declared dead at the scene following the October 2020 horror. The same year, Texas only executed seven people, the first time it did not lead the nation in executions since 2001 (when it ranked behind Oklahoma). This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. It was the kind of question no one could imagine. She was sentenced on December 16, 1993. I think I would have a little bias, she said, referring to Moss. Her and Owens story started to unravel after a series of police interviews. Not since Lena Baker, an African-American convicted of murder in Randolph County, has Georgia executed a woman. Kelly Renee Gissendaner was executed by lethal injection on Tuesday, September 29. When its Mosss turn, she most often smiles and tells Hutchinson, No questions, your honor. On very few occasions, however, she poses the question about the starvation and burning of her stepchild. She was sentenced on October 2, 1998. Michelle Lyn Michaud was 38 when she kidnapped, sexually assaulted and murdered a 22-year-old woman in Pleasanton, California, on December 2, 1997. After Gardner and Gilbert returned to their seats, Hutchinson asked Moss if she had anything to say. 2015 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. He was impressed with her paper, and he wrote back. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Tina Lasonya Brown was 39 when she murdered a 19-year-old woman in West Pensacola, Florida, on March 24, 2010. A Georgia stepmother is set to become the states only femaledeath rowinmate after she was convicted this week of starving her 10-year-old stepdaughter to death.Tiffany Moss was convicted Monday in the 2013 death of her stepdaughter, Emani Moss, Gwinnett County District Attorney Daniel Porter told CNN.A jury found Moss guilty of torturing Emani, starving her to death and then, with the help of her husband, Eman, burned the childs body in a trash can, according toCNN affiliate WSB.At the time of her death, Emani weighed just 32 pounds, the average weight of a toddler, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Michelle Sue Tharp was 29 when she murdered her 7-year-old daughter in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania, on April 18, 1998. When Douglas arrived, Owen forced Douglas into his car at knifepoint and drove him to a wooded area in Gwinnett County near Harbins Park. 30, a veterinary nurse, told Porter she had signed petitions opposing capital punishment. [3][4], Kelly married Douglas Gissendaner for the first time on September 2, 1989. How in the world you not gonna know that your baby is starving, i dont care how much you work a parent knows their children. This is an exceptional case requiring exceptional and immediate action, attorney Susan Casey said in a statement emailed to the Guardian. God bless you. UPDATE: After several courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, denied a series of last-minute, late-night appeals Tuesday, Kelly Gissendaner was executed early Wednesday for her role in the murder of her husband in 1997. Everytime I read anything about this lady I get more and more disgusted. The jury recommended a life sentence, but the judge sentenced her to death in August 2009. Michael Nance: Robbed a bank and committed murder during a carjacking. Details of the crime, as laid out at trial and provided by Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens, are as follows: Owen and Kelly Gissendaner planned the murder for months. For example, the warden of Lee Arrendale state prison, where Gissendaner was housed, sent out a memo barring staff from speaking to anyone about the case. The issue in th Gissendaner's supporters on Sept. 19 released an emotional video featuring two of her children begging that Gissendaner not be executed. Georgia state records show that 493 people have been executed in Georgia from 1924-2019. https://www.ajc.com/news/local/going-alone-death-penalty-defendant-poses-unthinkable-question/tq4mqnyQhRMEVrir6DAHzM/, Tiffany Moss is currently incarcerated at the Arrendale State Prison the home of Georgia Death Row for Women, Tiffany Moss was convicted of the starvation death of a ten year old girl. She asked her cellmate, Laura McDuffie, to find someone willing to do the job for $10,000, and McDuffie turned Kelly Gissendaners letters over to authorities via her attorney. Gissendaner's lawyers note that the parole board already heard from many people testifying about Gissendaner's faith and remorse at a hearing last week before denying her clemency. WWE star Wade Barrett calls out Wayne Rooney over 'unfinished business' years after front row slap Comment Alistair McGeorge Friday 3 Mar 2023 2:42 pm Wayne Rooney slapped Wade Barrett back in. Georgia Death Row Inmate's Last Meal Includes 2 Cheeseburgers, Cornbread and Popcorn - ABC News Georgia Death Row Inmate's Last Meal Includes 2 Cheeseburgers, Cornbread and Popcorn Kelly Renee Gissendaner is scheduled to be put to death next week. As of April 2018, there were 55 women on death row. In the days following the storm delay, Gissendaners attorneys filed another application for clemency, asking the parole board to delay her execution for 90 days in order to reconsider. She was sentenced on April 4, 2008. Carlette Elizabeth Parker was 34 when she murdered an 86-year-old woman in North Raleigh, North Carolina, on May 12, 1998. Tiffany Moss was found guilty and sentenced to death in the starving death of her 10-year-old stepdaughter in 2013.. She is a social path and had her husband wrapped around her fingers. CNNs Jamiel Lynch and Tina Burnside contributed to this report. Moss, 36, showed no reaction when the death sentence was handed down Tuesday, local media inside the courtroom reported. She was the only woman on Georgia's death row. She also requested a glass of lemonade and cherry-vanilla ice cream for dessert. The execution is scheduled to take place about 7 p.m. She was convicted of murder in the February 1997 slaying of her husband. The last woman executed by a state was Kelly Gissendaner, 47, on Sept. 30, 2015, in Georgia. 56 said, looking over to Moss sitting alone by herself at the defense table. Although department rules allow employees to speak to lawyers for capital clemency proceedings, the reality is less clear, Gissendaner's lawyers wrote. She and Douglas were divorced in 1993. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. She was sentenced on January 18, 1991. These cookies do not store any personal information. Atlanta attorney Ken Driggs, who has represented capital defendants at trial and on appeal, spent time in court last week to see how Moss was doing. Prosecutors said she plotted his stabbing death with her boyfriend, Gregory Owen. Blackmon was sentenced on June 7, 2002. The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled 5-4 in favor of a Georgia death row inmate pursuing a legal effort to change his execution method from lethal injection to death by firing squad. Troy Anthony Davis entering Chatham County Superior Court on Aug. 22, 1991, during his trial. You let my kids know I went out singing Amazing Grace. Required fields are marked *. There is no way a kid would be able to come around me an i my self dont notice a hurt kid. [8] During the trial, Gissendaner was discovered to have threatened witnesses and also plotted to pay a witness to commit perjury. Shes holding a bright pink, hand-lettered placard. The stories of these women have a lot in common. Kelly Renee Gissendaner, who graduated. Idaho Dept.. He made that plea Thursday during a six-day visit to this country. She was sentenced on September 28, 2012. In the past, Georgia would have let Kelly Renee Gissendaner live, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. (Image: AP Photo/Savannah Morning News) On Sept. 21, 2011, the state of Georgia ended Troy Anthony Davis' life with a lethal injection. She was convicted of murder in the 1997 slaying of her husband after she conspired with her lover, who stabbed Douglas Gissendaner to death. Edenfield is the oldest death row inmate in Georgia. by An autopsy determined the cause of death to be knife wounds to the neck, but the medical examiner couldnt tell which strike killed Douglas Gissendaner because animals had devoured the skin and soft tissue on the right side of his neck. She was finally executed by lethal injection at the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison in Jackson, Georgia, on September 30 at 12:21a.m.[16][17], Gissendaner cried, prayed, sang "Amazing Grace",[18] and said, "and I love you Sally. She was sentenced to death on November 23, 1994. With Tiffany Moss' sentenced to death,. And I love you Susan. [3] During her senior year of high school, she claimed to have been date raped. During that time both Furman and the advent of feminist legal theory have required a restructuring in the way we think about two fundamental legal questions . This includes the murder-by-starvation allegation, various child cruelty charges and her alleged attempt to conceal the crime. [15] (Georgia is one of three US states in which the governor is not empowered to grant clemency to the condemned. The second was Kelly Gissendaner, who was executed in 2015 for conspiring with her boyfriend to have her husband killed in 1997. But it's not. She was the first woman executed by the state in 70 years and had been the only woman on death row. This set a record for the most executions conducted in Georgia in a calendar year. The jurors are also asked what they think about Mosss decision to exercise her constitutional right to represent herself. Brooke Marie Rottiers was 26 when she murdered two men, ages 22 and 28, in Corona, California, on August 28, 2006. 52 said death would be his first priority., Jury selection, which consumed all of last week,will wrap up soon in this extremely rare instance in which a capital defendant is going it alone. He remained missing for two weeks until game wardens found his body. FBI Demanded Twitter Shut Down Parody Account of The Undertaker?!?! She was sentenced on May 31, 2012. They stayed together for six months. Seabolt could testify that former parole board chair James Donald promised Gissendaner would receive clemency, her lawyers wrote. She was convicted in a February 1997 murder plot that targeted her husband in suburban Atlanta. She was sentenced on February 23, 2011. [7] Gissendaner, however, rejected the plea deal. Erica Yvonne Sheppard was 19 when she murdered a 43-year-old woman in Houston on June 30, 1993. No questions, your honor, Moss said with a smile. On February 7, 1997, she dropped Owen off at her home, gave him a nightstick and hunting knife and went out dancing with girlfriends. Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Georgia Department of Corrections -- Kelly Gissendaner, the only woman on Georgia's death row, was executed early Wednesday, authorities said. She was sentenced to death on March 26, 2010. Georgia Death Row Inmate List - Women Georgia Death Row Inmate List - Men Georgia Death Row Inmate List - Women Tiffany Moss Police tracked him down. If Gissendaners execution goes through, she could be the first of two inmates executed in as many weeks. Nine months later, her first son was born. And tell the Gissendaner family I am so sorry. Gissendaner, 47, was put to death after hours of. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Kelly Renee Gissendaner, 46, is scheduled to receive a lethal injection at 7 p.m. Monday at the state prison in Jackson, for the February 1997 murder of her husband, Douglas Gissendaner. Even a letter from an emissary for Pope Francis didnt sway the board; nor did a plea from Wilton Gregory, archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta. It is appropriate to engage in this inquiry in considering how the law has developed in the twenty-five years since Furman v. Georgia. In the video, Kayla Gissendaner said she didn't believe her father would want her mother to be executed, to spare his children from more pain. With the Next to Die, The Marshall Project and our reporting partners tracked every execution in the United States from August 2015 to February 2021. [20], Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison, Georgia Diagnostic and Classification State Prison, Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles, Capital punishment in Georgia (U.S. state), List of people executed in Georgia (U.S. state), List of people executed in the United States in 2015, List of women executed in the United States since 1976, "Clemency Denied, Kelly Gissendaner Nears Execution in Georgia", "Detective recounts how he put Kelly Gissendaner on death row", "The life of the damned: Kelly Gissendaner's path to execution", "Appeals Fail, Georgia Executes Husband Killer Kelly Gissendaner", "Justice has different meanings for Kelly Gissendaner's family", "After long silence, Kelly Gissendaner's eldest son will plead for mercy at clemency hearing", "Kelly Gissendaner Should Serve Life in Prison, Not Be Executed", "Family of Kelly Gissendaner's slain husband: Remember the victim", "A Death Row Inmate Finds Common Ground With Theologians", "The sisters who struggle for Kelly Gissendaner", "Pope Francis asks to spare life of condemned Ga. woman; state declines plea", "Former high-ranking state officials join growing chorus asking for Gissendaner clemency", "Ex-Ga. chief justice Norman Fletcher, others argue against Gissendaner execution", "Parole Board Green-Lights Execution of Kelly Gissendaner Despite Pope's Plea", "Kelly Gissendaner executed after 5 hour delay", "Georgia Woman Kelly Gissendaner Sings 'Amazing Grace' During Execution", Attorney General of Georgia Official Press Releases on Execution, Executions carried out in the United States, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kelly_Gissendaner&oldid=1142309921, This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 18:11. Donna Marie Roberts was 58 when she murdered her husband near Warren, Ohio, on December 11, 2001. 1:07 ATLANTA Georgia officials denied a reprieve to the state's only female death-row inmate Wednesday, but an encroaching winter storm may have given her five additional days to live. But, her lawyers argue, the board did not hear from many Department of Corrections employees whose perspective "would have left no doubt that a grant of clemency is supported in this case.". She was sentenced on August 4, 2006. Your email address will not be published. She was sentenced on May 25, 1995. Christa Pike: Born in West Virginia on March 10, 1976. On February 3, 2016, Georgia's oldest Death Row inmate, 72-year-old Brandon Astor Jones, was executed by lethal injection. Tanya Jaime Nelson was 46 when she murdered two women, ages 23 and 52, in Westminster, California, on April 21, 2005. Gissendaner would be the first woman executed in Georgia since 1945 and only the 16th woman put to death nationwide since the Supreme Court allowed the death penalty to resume in 1976. She was sentenced to death on March 26, 2010. Maria del Rosio Alfaro was 18 when she committed burglary, robbery, and murdered a 9-year-old girl in Anaheim, California, on June 15, 1990. According to law enforcement, 10-year-old Emani Moss weighed just 32 pounds when her charred body was found in the fall of 2013. Gissendaner's lawyers also argued she was a seriously damaged woman who had undergone a spiritual transformation in prison and had been a model prisoner who'd shown remorse and provided hope to other inmates in their personal struggles. He spent over 36 years on Death Row after being sentenced to death for murdering Roger Tackett during the robbery of a convenience store in 1979. August; 3. Rare News Desk You have to respect that., Others said they just wanted to know why Moss had made such a decision. (See, This page was last edited on 24 December 2022, at 16:10. She was sentenced on April 19, 2005. The Gissendaners had already divorced once, in 1993, and they remarried in 1995. He also noted that Georgia hadn't executed a person who didn't actually carry out a killing since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976. Tiffany Moss was convicted Monday in the 2013 death of her stepdaughter, Emani Moss, Gwinnett County District Attorney Daniel Porter told CNN. Brandy Holmes was 23 when she robbed and murdered a 70-year-old man in Blanchard, Louisiana, on January 1, 2003. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. She was sentenced to death on October 13, 1999. Darla Lynn Routier was 26 when she murdered her 5-year-old son in Rowlett, Texas, on June 6, 1996. Emilia Lily Carr was 24 when she murdered a 26-year-old woman in Boardman, Florida, on February 14, 2009. Brittany Marlowe Holberg was 23 when she murdered an 80-year-old man in Amarillo, Texas, on November 13, 1996. Among them was Rev. So if in this case, and this is an if, you were picked for the jury and you did find the defendant me guilty of starving a child, my own child, and burning her body, would you be able to consider life with parole as an option or would death be the necessary action taken? This is a list of people executed in Georgia. After probing that, Porter finally asked Juror No. Gissendaner was put to death by lethal injection, the first woman executed in Georgia since 1945, for murdering her 30-year-old husband when she was just 28. She was sentenced on December 16, 1993. Gissendaner had been convicted of orchestrating the murder of her husband, Douglas Gissendaner (December 14, 1966 - February 7, 1997). She was sentenced in August 2008. Her execution was further delayed when one of the execution drugs (pentobarbital) was thought to have been spoiled through improper storage, though it was later determined that the drug had merely precipitated out of solution due to colder than recommended storage conditions. Experienced defense lawyers would have questioned such a juror to try and get her to admit that, in especially egregious cases, she could still vote for death. Prosecutors said Gissendaner, a mother of three, wanted her husband dead so she could profit from two life insurance policies and the couples $84,000 house. Jesse Watters: Buying mace in Manhattan is almost as hard as getting a gun. Gissendaner had spoken to the women through an air vent and prevented some from committing suicide, while other women tell of how Gissendaner's words encouraged them to turn their lives around. There, Owen ordered his victim into the woods, took his watch and wallet to make it look like a robbery, hit him in the head with the nightstick and stabbed Douglas Gissendaner in the neck eight to 10 times. Blanche Kiser Moore was 56 when she murdered her boyfriend in Alamance County, North Carolina, on October 7, 1986. When Hutchinson asked Moss if she had any questions for this juror, Moss appeared to sense this possibility. Late this afternoon the panel announced: the execution would go on as planned. She was then transferred to Arrendale State Prison. A jury found Moss guilty of torturing Emani, starving her to death and then, with the help of her husband, Eman, burned the childs body in a trash can, according to CNN affiliate WSB. There are 81 men on death row in Georgia and one woman. The Georgia Department of Corrections said her death by lethal injection came at 12:21 a.m. Kelly Rene Gissendaner ( ne Brookshire; March 8, 1968 - September 30, 2015) was an American woman who was executed by the U.S. state of Georgia. She said her mother had grown and changed in prison, describing her as "my biggest cheerleader.". Kelly Renee Gissendaner was pronounced dead by injection of pentobarbital at 12:21 a.m. at the state prison in Jackson. They cant kill her fast enough for me! Prosecutors said Gissendaner convinced her then-lover, Greg Owens, to commit the murder . Virginia Susan Caudill was 37 when she robbed and murdered a 73-year-old woman in Lexington, Kentucky, on March 15, 1998. Tiffany Moss acted as her own attorney in the case, but offered no defense, called no witnesses and gave no opening nor closing statements, the station reported. Tiffany Moss acted as her own attorney in the case, but offered no defense, called no witnesses and gave no opening nor closing statements, the station reported. This is not just a cold heart little girl this girl was devious and jealous of a child, she was a beautiful baby i would have loved to no her so i could protect her. Police discovered the burned-out automobile the morning after the murder, but did not find the body. On two occasions, Moss won challenges to keep potential jurors in the final selection pool. She was sentenced on September 22, 2004. [7], Gissendaner was convicted of orchestrating her husband's murder and sentenced to death in 1998, after Owen testified against her in a plea agreement in which he was sentenced to life imprisonment. Angelina Rodriguez was 32 when she murdered her husband in Montebello, California, on September 9, 2000. And I just hope they can find peace. Gissendaner balked at the parole agreement and took her lawyer's advice to go to trial. Catherine Thompson was 42 when she hired someone to kill her husband in Westwood, California, on June 14, 1990. called for the abolition of the death penalty while he was in the U.S. September 30, 2015, 6:44 am [10] Gissendaner developed a friendship with Jrgen Moltmann while she was in prison. She was sentenced on March 24, 2000. Tiffany Moss was sentenced to death in Georgia for the starvation death of a ten year old girl. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. The 35-year-old Gwinnett County woman posed it last week to a Transportation Security Administration officer whos a potential juror for her death-penalty trial. First published on Mon 2 Mar 2015 07.41 EST Kelly Gissendaner will on Monday night become the first woman to be executed in Georgia in almost 70 years - subject to a last-ditch application for. She was sentenced on February 22, 2011. We tell stories with heart, humor, and authenticity to celebrate American life. "[19], She was the first woman executed in Georgia since 1945, as well as the only woman executed in the United States in 2015. Kelly Renee Gissendaner, 46, is scheduled to receive a lethal injection at 7 p.m. Monday at the state prison in Jackson, for the February 1997 murder of her husband, Douglas Gissendaner.. Norfolk Southern train derails in Springfield, Ohio, At least 12 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, Trump speaks at CPAC after winning straw poll, Grizzlies star Ja Morant to miss at least 2 games after alleged gun incident, How Paul Murdaugh testified "from the grave" to help convict his father, Man charged for alleged involvement in 2 transformer explosions, Promising drug could provide alternative to statins, new study finds, Iran to allow more inspections at nuclear sites, U.N. says, NTSB to investigate in-flight turbulence that left 1 passenger dead. A Georgia woman who was executed despite a plea for mercy from Pope Francis sang "Amazing Grace" until she was given a lethal injection, witnesses said. Kelly Gissendaner will on Monday night become the first woman to be executed in Georgia in almost 70 years subject to a last-ditch application for clemency. Davis was executed for the murder of a police officer, a crime he always maintained he did not commit. [7], In 2010, Gissendaner enrolled in a theology studies program for prisoners, run by a consortium of Atlanta-area divinity schools, including the divinity school at Emory University. [1][2] At the time of the murder, Gissendaner was 28, and her husband was 30. Such a concession could make her a qualified juror and one favored by the defense. JACKSON, Ga. (AP) The only woman on Georgia's death row was executed early Wednesday, making her the first woman put to death by the state in seven decades. 2023 Cable News Network. Tiffany Moss, 36, showed no reaction when the death sentence was handed down Tuesday, local media inside the courtroom reported.Shell be transferred to state custody within the next 20 days, Porter said. Georgia (1977): In 1974, Ehrlich Coker escaped from prison while serving a sentence for several charges including murder, kidnapping, and rape.