Some had come to demand mercy. They carried placards with messages such as "Execution is not the solution" and "Jesus was a victim of the death penalty".

Others had come to insist the State deliver justice in the form of a lethal injection.

Cheers greeted news that Tucker was dead

The two sides shouted at each other, but police kept them separated.

From time to time, announcements were made to the crowd to explain what was happening.

When it became clear that legal efforts to prevent the execution had failed, a large cheer went up from those who had wanted Tucker to pay for her crimes.

An even bigger roar greeted news of her death shortly after 6:45pm local time. Tucker's supporters could be heard gently singing.

The area in front of the building was illuminated by the arc lights of television crews from all over the world, reporting on the final hours of the double axe murderer.

Those wanting Tucker to die were just as vocal as those wanting mercy

It was partly the novelty of executing a woman - there were only 49 among 3,365 US death row inmates nationwide as of January 1- which attracted all the reporters and photographers to descend on Huntsville.

"We're hoping for a miracle here, if Karla Faye Tucker is to live," said a visibly moved journalist for France 2 television in a live report in front of the prison.

Much had also been made of the born-again Christian who had repented for her crimes. This brought pleas for mercy from Pope John Paul II and TV evangelist Pat Robertson.