Rainey Bethea
Rainey Bethea | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. October 16, 1909 Roanoke, Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | August 14, 1936 (aged 26) Owensboro, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Execution by hanging |
| Resting place | Rosehill Elmwood Cemetery |
| Known for | Being the final person to be publicly executed in the United States |
| Criminal status | Executed (August 14, 1936) |
| Conviction | Rape |
| Criminal penalty | Death |
Rainey Bethea (c. 1909 – August 14, 1936), was the last person publicly executed in the United States. Bethea, who confessed to the rape and killing of a 70-year-old woman named Lischia Edwards, was convicted of her rape and publicly hanged in Owensboro, Kentucky.