Woman Sings Amazing Grace As She Is Executed

The only woman on Georgia's death row sang Amazing Grace as she was put to death early on Wednesday.

Despite a plea from the Pope, Kelly Gissendaner became the first woman to be executed in the southern US state in seven decades.

The 47-year-old was pronounced dead at 12.21am local time (5.21 BST) after a lethal injection at the state prison.

Gissendaner sobbed as she said she loved her children and apologised to the family of her husband, whom she was convicted of murdering in 1997.

She said she hoped her in-laws could find some peace and happiness.

Gissendaner sang Amazing Grace, a hymn about forgiveness and redemption, before taking several deep breaths and then becoming still.

The family of Doug Gissendaner said in a statement earlier on Wednesday that she had shown him no mercy.

"As the murderer," the family said, "she's been given more rights and opportunity over the last 18 years than she ever afforded to Doug who, again, is the victim here."

The parole board had hours earlier denied Gissendaner a stay of execution despite a letter from Pope Francis' US diplomatic representative.

Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano's message on the Pontiff's behalf asked for a commutation of her sentence to show "justice and mercy".

The Pope, who toured the US last week, is an outspoken opponent of the death penalty.

Gissendaner's lawyers argued she had undergone a spiritual transformation and become a model prisoner.

Her lover, Gregory Owen, carried out the murder of Doug Gissendaner, abducting and stabbing him to death in woods near Atlanta.

Owen took a plea deal and testified against her. He is serving a prison sentence.

Kelly and Doug Gissendaner's three adult children had backed their mother's case.

Gissendaner was also the 16th woman executed in the US since the Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976.

Sympathisers had taken to social media using the hashtag #kellyonmymind to call for her life to be spared.

She requested a last meal of cheese dip and chips, Texas fajita nachos and a diet frosted lemonade.

Meanwhile attorneys for Oklahoma death row prisoner Richard Glossip have made a last-ditch appeal to the US Supreme Court to grant a stay of execution .

He is due to die at 3pm local time (9.00pm BST) on Wednesday.