Archive for September, 2010

The first woman to be executed in the state of Virginia for almost a century was preparing for her last meal today, hours before her scheduled death by lethal injection.

As the clock ticked towards her 9pm execution at the Greensville Correctional Center in Jarratt, Teresa Lewis’s lawyers were this afternoon frantically seeking a last-minute reprieve.

But despite an international outcry over her execution, they admitted all her legal appeals had been exhausted.

Lewis, 41, who is mentally unstable, was sentenced to death for providing sex and money to two men to kill her husband and stepson in October 2002 so she could collect a $250,000 insurance payout.

This morning she informed prison staff of details of her final meal: two chicken breasts, sweet peas with butter, a Dr. Pepper and either German cake or apple pie for dessert.

Lewis pleaded guilty in May 2003 to two counts of capital murder for hire in the slayings of her husband Julian Lewis and her stepson, Charles Lewis.

Tonight her husband’s daughter – her step-daughter – Cathy Clifton will be among those selected to watch the execution.

Lewis’ fate was sealed earlier this week when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to block her execution.

The court’s decision followed Virginia governor Bob McDonnell’s refusal to reconsider a clemency request, which he rejected last Friday.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1314637/Teresa-Lewis-execution-Final-meal-Virginia-death-row-prisoner.html?ito=feeds-newsxml#ixzz10NGNs0zt

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If the early enthusiasm is to be believed, Rihanna may have a threat in 9-year-old Willow Smith. On Tuesday, the pint-size daughter of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith leaked her first single, “Whip My Hair,” setting music blogs abuzz with comparisons to the Barbadian R&B star.

With a crazy beat that works on the schoolyard and the dance floor, Willow tells the ladies to snap their heads “back and forth” and whip that hair like a helicopter.

Solange Knowles has co-signed on the track, tweeting, “Willow Smith make me wanna whip some haiiirrr in this house. Ummm kill em girl. Kill em!”

Brandy jumped onboard too. “OK, these lil Smith kids are AMAZING!!” the singer tweeted. “I whip my hair back and forth… Ms Willow is not to be played with!!”

Encouraged by her talented parents, Willow is embarking on a music career when many of her peers are simply worrying about fifth-grade homework. She made her acting debut at the age of 6, starring alongside her father in 2007’s “I Am Legend.” Her credits also include a role in “Kit Kittredge: An American Girl” and voice-over work for the animated feature “Madagascar 2.”

Already building a fanbase with her eclectic red-carpet fashion, Willow tagged along with big brother Jaden to Justin Bieber’s concert at Madison Square Garden last week. Jaden was there to rap alongside Bieber on their “Karate Kid” track “Never Say Never.” But Willow is also drawing the attention of Bieber’s camp.

On Tuesday, Justin’s video director Alfredo Flores tweeted, “WHAT!!??! Willow Smith just KILLED “Whip My Hair”… Rihanna, Keri, Ciara, Ashanti – please be warned.”

With rumors circulating that Willow will sign with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation music label and start her own clothing line, she might soon be overshadowing her big brother, or even her parents.

Jada, who has fronted her own metal band, told Ambassador magazine back in June that Willow is working on an album that will be released soon.

Story by MTV