A federal appeals court has upheld the death sentence of a woman who could become the first female Virginia has executed since 1912.
Teresa Lewis, 41, pleaded guilty to two counts of capital murder and two counts of conspiracy to commit murder for hiring two hit men to kill her husband and stepson in 2002.
Defense attorneys argued on appeal that Lewis was addicted to prescription drugs and too dependent on others to have plotted the murders.
Prosecutors said Lewis was sexually involved with the two hit men, who are now serving life sentences for the killings. The attorneys said she persuaded the men to commit murder so she could collect $250,000 in life insurance. – Hayley Peterson
