State of Georgia Executes First Woman in 70 Years Despite Plea From Pope

The state of Georgia put to death the first woman in 70 years this week despite pleas from Pope Francis to spare her life.

47-year-old Kelly Renee Gissendaner was put to death by lethal injection on Wednesday after waiting on death row for 18 years.

Gissendaner was sentenced to death for orchestrating the 1997 death of her husband, Doug Gissendaner. Gissendaner had reportedly convinced her lover to stab her husband to death.

As The Christian Post reports, Gissendaner reportedly sang "Amazing Grace" as she was put to death Wednesday evening.

Although relatives of Gissendaner had asked that the woman's life be spared, relatives of her deceased husband Doug have argued that the 47-year-old should get the death penalty.

Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano had issued a statement on the pontiff's behalf requesting that Gissendaner's life be spared.

"While not wishing to minimize the gravity of the crime for which Ms. Gissendander 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," the statement read.

Gissendaner was executed despite a last-minute appeal attempt carried out by her children at the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles the day before her execution.

"We chose to try and save her life, and they still denied us," daughter Kayla Gissendaner told CNN.

The children of Gissendaner reportedly had a choice to either visit their mother one last time on Tuesday or appeal her death sentence, and chose to appeal rather than visit her.