Telling her story: The only woman ever to die in Georgia's electric chair

COLQUITT, Ga. --- The only woman ever to die in Georgia's electric chair -- a victim of racial injustice -- is the focus of a movie that makes its world premiere at the 32nd annual Atlanta Film Festival.

"This is one I had to do first," said veteran actor Ralph Wilcox, 57, who wrote and directed The Lena Baker Story and produced it at a new 22,000 square-foot movie studio in rural southwestern Georgia.

"This film ... dealt with four issues that are really continuing today -- abuse, addiction, the death penalty and the fourth and foremost is our faith," Mr. Wilcox said. "It was her faith that gave Lena her courage and fortitude."

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Baker's final words, shortly before her execution at the Reidsville State Penitentiary on March 5, 1945, were, "What I done, I did in self-defense. I have nothing against anyone ... I am ready to meet my God."

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The Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles granted her a pardon in 2005. It did not find her innocent of the crime, but ruled that the decision to deny her clemency in 1945 was a grievous error.

Chronicle Augustus