Teresa Lewis was convicted in the brutal 2002 murders of her husband, Julian Lewis, and stepson, Charles Lewis, in Virginia. The case stemmed from a plot that involved Lewis convincing two men to carry out the murders, reportedly in an effort to collect life insurance benefits. The trial concluded with Lewis receiving the death penalty, which was slightly controversial due to doubts surrounding her mental health and claims that she was coerced into enacting the plan. Her defense argued that Lewis was not the primary instigator, but the jury's decision reflected otherwise.

On September 23, 2010, Teresa Lewis became the first woman executed in Virginia since 1912 and notably was executed by lethal injection, a method that had raised ethical concerns. The event was widely covered by national media, reigniting discussions about gender and the death penalty, as well as debates over judicial fairness and mental health in capital cases. Activists for both sides of the death penalty issue voiced their opinions, with some highlighting Lewis’s mental health struggles and the perceived unfairness of her sentence compared to her co-conspirators who had lesser sentences.

As the execution date approached, numerous appeals and requests for clemency were made, but ultimately the Virginia Supreme Court denied these requests. Lewis's case brought to light critical issues within the American judicial system and raised questions about who deserves mercy under the law. The fallout from her execution has contributed to ongoing dialogues about the death penalty in America, particularly pertaining to women and mentally challenged defendants.