Lisa Coleman was executed in Texas Wednesday evening, becoming the second woman to be put to death in Texas this year.

Lisa Coleman Executed For Capital Murder

Coleman, 38, received a lethal injection of pentobarbital Wednesday evening at 6:12 p.m. CT and died peacefully twelve minutes later. Moments before her execution, Coleman said goodbye to her family and “the girls on the row.”

“I just want to tell my family I love them, my son, I love him. The girls on the row I love them and keep their heads up. Tell Darlie I love her, hand in hand. God bless y’all. I’m alright, tell them I finished strong. I love y’all, I’m done. I love you, Richie. I love you. Thank you Brad and John, all of y’all. God is good, I love you Auntie. I’m done,” Coleman said in her final statement.

Coleman was the ninth person executed by the state of Texas this year, and the 30th in the nation. She is only the 15th woman to be executed in the US since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. Executions of women are rare, and account for just one percent of all executions since 1976.

Coleman was convicted in 2006 of kidnapping and starving Davontae Williams, 9, to death in 2004. Davontae was the son of Coleman’s girlfriend, Marcella Williams, and was found dead by the police in 2004. The medical examiner said that the boy weighed only 35.8 pounds at time of death, and his body showed signs of abuse. He died of severe malnutrition and was found bound, wearing only a diaper. Coleman and Williams were both convicted, but instead of the death penalty, Williams reached a plea deal and is currently serving out a life sentence behind bars. Authorities charged Coleman with murder and an added charge of kidnapping, making it capital murder, a crime punishable by death.

Court Denies Stay Of Execution

Coleman’s attorney, John Stickels, made a failed attempt to get a stay of execution, on the grounds that Coleman did not kidnap Davontae, and therefore, should not be charged with capital murder under Texas law. An hour before Coleman’s execution, the Supreme Court announced that they would not be granting a stay of execution.

“What she’s really guilty of is being a black lesbian. If she is executed, it will be because of her sexual orientation. Her sexual orientation played a role in the state choosing to seek the death penalty and in her getting the death penalty,” Stickels said on Monday.

Article by Olivia Truffaut-Wong

Olivia Truffaut-Wong was born and raised in Berkeley, California, where she developed her love of all things entertainment. After moving to New York City to earn her degree in Film Studies, she stayed on the East Coast to follow her passion and become an entertainment writer. She lives on a diet of television, movies and food.