The US state of Georgia has executed its first woman in 70 years, despite an appeal for clemency by Pope Francis. Kelly Gissendaner, 47, died by lethal injection at 12:21am (local time) at Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison in Jackson, a prison spokeswoman said. Gissendaner was sentenced to death after being convicted of what is known in the state as malice murder for her role in plotting the killing of her husband Douglas in 1997. Pope Francis, who concluded a six-day US trip at the weekend and is an outspoken opponent of the death penalty, had urged officials to commute her death sentence.