Aileen Wuornos

Aileen Carol Wuornos (February 29 1956 – October 9 2002) was an American serial killer who was sentenced to death by the state of Florida in 1992. Wuornos admitted to killing seven men, in separate incidents, all of whom she claimed had raped her while she was working as a prostitute. She was executed in 2002.

Execution and last words

After her first death sentence, Wuornos often said she wanted it all to be over. In 2001 she began fighting to be executed as soon as possible. She petitioned the Florida Supreme Court for the right to fire her legal counsel and stop all appeals, wording her request so as to forestall any objection: "I'm one who seriously hates human life and would kill again." Due to her mental instability, some have argued that she was in no state for them to honor such a request.

Related Topics:
2001 - Florida Supreme Court

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Wuornos was executed by lethal injection (which she requested instead of the electric chair) at 9:47 a.m., Wednesday, 9 October 2002. Her last words:

Related Topics:
Lethal injection - Electric chair - 9 October - 2002

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:I'd just like to say I'm sailing with the Rock and I'll be back like Independence Day with Jesus, June 6, like the movie, big mothership and all. I'll be back.

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After her execution she was cremated, and her ashes were taken to her native Michigan and spread around a tree.

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She had requested that Natalie Merchant's (from the group 10,000 Maniacs) song "Carnival" be played at her funeral. Natalie Merchant commented on this when asked why her song was run during the credits of the documentary Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer.

Related Topics:
Natalie Merchant - 10,000 Maniacs

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:"When director Nick Broomfield sent a working edit of the film, I was so disturbed by the subject matter that I couldn't even watch it. Aileen Wuornos led a tortured, torturing life that is beyond my worst nightmares. It wasn't until I was told that Aileen spent many hours listening to my album Tigerlily while on death row and requested 'Carnival' be played at her funeral that I gave permission for the use of the song. It's very odd to think of the places my music can go once it leaves my hands. If it gave her some solace, I have to be grateful."

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Aileen Wuornos was the tenth woman in the U.S. to be executed since the reintroduction of the death penalty in 1976, and the second woman in Florida to be executed.

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