Indiana Executes Lisa Montgomery
Montgomery had been convicted of the 2004 murder of Bobbie Jo Stinnett, who was eight months pregnant at the time. Montgomery had strangled Stinnett and cut her baby from her womb. The baby survived and was returned to her father.
Montgomery's case had attracted widespread attention due to her history of severe mental illness and trauma. She had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, complex post-traumatic stress disorder, and dissociative disorder. Montgomery had also suffered years of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse at the hands of her stepfather and others.
Many advocates had called for clemency for Montgomery, arguing that her mental illness and traumatic history should have been taken into account in her sentencing. However, the federal government had resumed executions in July 2020 after a 17-year hiatus, and Montgomery's execution was scheduled to proceed despite these concerns.
After Montgomery's execution, advocates for ending the death penalty renewed their calls for a moratorium on federal executions and for greater attention to be paid to the mental health and trauma histories of those facing the death penalty.
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