January 18, 2024 • 36 mins
Amber McLaughlin, has become an American icon as she recently became the first openly transgender individual put the death in the American prison system. She was born Scott A. Daffner in 1973 to abusive, alcoholic parents who sent her to foster homes and eventually to her great Aunt and Uncle McLaughlin, who changed her name. She grew up with abuse and neglect her whole life. In 2006 she was sentenced to death for the rape and murder of her ex girlfriend, Beverly Guenther, in 2003. In 2020 she started making her transition in the Potosi Corrections Center, a male prison, in Washington County, Missouri, after meeting another transgender, Jessica Hicklin, who gave Amber guidance. How to Cook Amber McLaughlin's Last Meal 🍗🍟🍓🍤➡️ https://www.lastsupperpodcast.com/blog-and-recipes/amber-mclaughlin-last-meal-recipe ⬅️ 🍗🍟🍓🍤 ________________________________________________________________________ Connect with me 📲 🔴Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelastsuppercast/ 🔴 🔵Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thelastsuppercast 🔵 ⚫TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thelastsuppercast ⚫ ✖️Twitter (X) https://twitter.com/LastSupperCast1 ✖️ 📲Email: thelastsupperpodcast1@gmail.com 📲 🌐Website: https://www.lastsupperpodcast.com/ 🌐 ________________________________________________________________________ Visit ➡️ https://www.lastsupperpodcast.com/ ⬅️ to learn more about my podcast and a whole lot more! On our site you can: 🔴 Learn more about the podcast and my personal thoughts on the death penalty 🔴 Blog style stories about the criminals I cover 🔴 FREE Recipes for each episode's last meal I cook 🔴 Subscribe to my email list to get updates on new recipes, episodes and discounts on merch 🔴 Buy merch to support the show 🔴 Donate to support the show THE MOST TASTEFUL PLACE THE ENJOY TRUE CRIME ________________________________________________________________________ The Last Supper: A True Crime Podcast is an independently owned true crime podcast owned and operated by Coda King Productions and its founder COLSON DAVIS. 👑@codakingproductions👑 is a music and video production company specializing in beat production, mixing and mastering, and video production. This production company is owned and operated by COLSON DAVIS. This is a company I created out of the love for helping artists thrive in the music industry. I've always been very creative minded and tried everything creative that you can. My main things I love are audio and video production. Now I'm combining those loves into this podcast. I love the entire production! You will notice that each new episode of the podcast has a different intro and outro instrumental or beat. These beats are produced by me and are here to showcase my other passion; music. Links are below to find Coda King Productions on social media and my beat page to purchase beats. Connect with Coda King Productions📲 🔴Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/codakingproductions/ 🔴 🔵Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/codakingproductions/ 🔵 ⚫TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@codakingofficial ⚫ 📲Email: coda110103@outlook.com 📲 🌐Beat Website: https://www.beatstars.com/codakingproductions 🌐 Beat in this episode: 🔥"Fight" Hype Dark Piano Freestyle Type Beat🔥 🎶140 BPM | B Minor🎶 💯 Download for FREE! 👉🏽 https://bsta.rs/b97902b40 👈🏽💯 🤯BUY 2, GET 2 FREE 🤯 ⚠️Free for NON PROFIT use. If used, please credit me: @codaking. If used for profit, please purchase a lease or exclusive license⚠️
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
After 17 years of appeals, rejections, more appeals, a
social uproar. And a sex change.
Amber McLaughlin was taken from her.
Cell on January 3rd. 2023 and led to the execution chamber, as
she was. Strapped to the table, she spoke
to her spiritual advisor. The lethal drug was administered
into her bloodstream and soon ittook her last breath and became
(00:21):
the first openly transgender. Individual put to death.
In American history, welcome. To the Last Supper.
Hello and welcome to EPISODE. Two of The Last Supper, a true
(00:45):
crime podcast. My name is Coulson Davis and I'm
an amateur chef, a true crime junkie.
Music and video. Producer and a content creator
every other week on this. Podcast I will be.
Telling a true death. Penalty case story.
And at the same time, I will be cooking that criminal's last
requested meal. Before they were executed.
This week we're. Looking at Amber slash Scott
(01:05):
McLaughlin and no, not the. New Zealand race car driver My
last. Meal consisted of a
cheeseburger. French fries.
A strawberry milkshake and some.Peanut M and Ms. You can find
the. Recipe that I've written for
this episode at Last Supper podcast dot.
Com slash blog now for this. Episode I would like to add a
very special. Disclaimer This episode contains
(01:27):
topics about a transgender individual sexual assault.
And child abuse, abuse that. Some people may find offense.
I would like to state for the record that I do respect.
Everybody and their preference. References, and especially in
this case, transgenders this story and all my.
Research is strictly fact based.I do consider, however, that.
(01:47):
Some people may find. Sexual assault, child abuse, or
the topics? Of a transgender individual
offensive and in that. Regard, I advise you to skip
this episode. And I will.
Hopefully be seeing you guys in episode. 3.
Now a. Special clarification for this
episode. Is also needed.
This case is about an individualwho at the time of birth was
(02:07):
male at the time of their crime.Time was a male.
And up until about 2020. Was still technically a male for
mental story visualization purposes only.
I will be. Referring to this individual as.
Scott. He and him at the time when they
were technically male. Now I'll be referring to this
individual as Amber, her and sheat the time when they
(02:28):
transitioned to A. Female.
This is not to be. Disrespectful.
To this individual's preferencesat the time of their death, it
is. Only for storytelling purposes
only. Now for everyone else.
Who is still here? After my ramble, Thank you.
Buckle up for this. Doozy.
And let's. Talk about the case.
Of Amber Mcclough. Scott A McLaughlin was born on
(02:54):
January 13th, 1973 to his parents Jill Daffner, who is a
prostitute, and Howard Daffner who was a working.
Alcoholic Jill. Drank heavily during her
pregnancy with Scott, which led to him being diagnosed.
Later with fetal alcohol. Syndrome, which can affect your
central nervous system and growth.
It can eventually lead to problems with learning, memory,
(03:15):
speech, attention span, etcetera.
Jill and. Howard were always physically.
And emotionally violent towards each.
Other while Jill. Was a few months pregnant.
Howard threw her to the. Ground and stomped on her head
repeatedly. Another time, Howard choked her
so. Hard, Jill thought.
She. Was going to die.
After Scott was born, the violence continued.
Scott witnessed many frequent violent drunken outburst from
(03:37):
his father and mother when Howard beat.
Jill he beat. Scott, too.
One incident occurred where. Howard beat.
Scott with a broomstick simply because he woke.
Howard up. And another time, Howard dragged
Scott out from under a bed he was hiding under and mercilessly
beat him with a belt. Howard later lost his job.
And decided to return home. And almost.
(03:58):
Beat Jill to death. Her eyes were so black.
They matched her black sunglasses used to cover them
up, and every time Jill would call the.
Police. They refused to help.
Unless she pressed charges on Howard, which she never did.
However, we can't excuse Jill from her role in everything,
too. She was just as abusive.
And incompetent as. Howard Scott was left with.
(04:19):
Permanent scars on his hand fromhow often his mother would burn
him with cigarettes while in thecustody of his biological
parents, Scott experienced 3 different head injuries.
The first was when Scott. Was three years.
Old and riding his big. Wheel tricycle he rode.
Onto the road and got. Hit by a car.
He woke up in the hospital and still had a scar on his left
eyebrow from the accident. The second was when Scott
(04:42):
managed to. Crawl out of a second.
Story window of their family house onto the roof with Jill
and Howard watching from below. Scott jumped and crashed to the
ground and the last serious incident occurred when a very
intoxicated Howard drug Scott down a hallway and smashed his
head against the wall before throwing him violently back
into. His bed at the age.
(05:02):
Of five, Scott was willingly given up to the child.
Protective Services. By his mother.
Later, Scott's younger brother and sister were removed from the
house and their mother desperately tried to gain back
custody of the siblings. Especially the sister.
But never tried to get. Custody of Scott.
Based on Scott's emotional stateand his speech impairments,
child. Productive services suspected
(05:23):
that he was, quote, retarded Scott.
Was then sent to a foster home. There was no solid.
Records of Scott's Foster. Family or what happened there?
However, there is evidence that while at the home, Scott's
foster parents rubbed a feces inhis face.
It was so bad at the Foster. Home that Scott said he wanted
to go back to his neglectful, abusive mother.
Later that same year, Scott and his younger siblings were
(05:46):
adopted by Harlan and Lois McLaughlin, their great paternal
aunt and uncle. The abuse didn't stop after
this, though. It only seemed to get.
Worse, Scott's adoptive father. Harlan was a police.
Officer who was especially abusive.
Towards Scott Harlan had a wooden paddle that he named.
Quote the Board of Education. And would.
Beat the kids regularly with it.He was even said to use his
(06:09):
Taser gun and nightstick on the kids.
Too Scott? Was the primary target of
Harlan's abuse and would beat Scott every night at 1:30 AM
when he got home from work. One time, Scott awoke to Harlan,
dragging him out of. Bed by his hair.
He pulled Scott down the hallwayto the kitchen, where he slammed
Scott's head against the deep freezer, Which?
Split. His scalp.
(06:30):
The parents would also lock the cabinet door so the kids
couldn't. Access food and before.
Every meal the parents wood forest, the kids to drink full.
Glasses of water, so they. Wouldn't eat as much now.
Warning for the next 10 seconds,it involves animal cruelty.
One time the household cat gave birth to.
Kittens. The mother forced the children
to kill the kittens by drowning them in a bucket of water.
(06:52):
Scott refused to do this. And was brutally punished for
it. Childhood friends would.
Later testify at the trial. That the home was a quote, House
of horrors. At school, the abuse was
obvious. A teacher.
For the children, Miss Ella. Fritz.
Paid for the kids lunches because of how hungry they were.
Another teacher, Miss Davis. Called Child Protective
(07:12):
Services. Four times within a one month
period, she later stated. That she would average about.
One call to the hotline. Per year, but she felt.
Compelled to call repeatedly forScott when Scott was in first
grade, a teacher conducted the handicapped student Initial
referral form and the teacher noted quote, constant behavioral
problems, constant motion, impulsive, aggressive.
(07:35):
Scott was referred to a psychologist, but this?
Wasn't prioritized and eventually nothing was done.
Now, this is a reoccurring themeof nothing being done that we're
going to be seeing repeatedly. Throughout this story, which is
so. Frustrating by second.
Grade A teacher said that Scott was able to do his work, but was
always. Insecure and anxious about it.
Scott. Was always disruptive in class,
(07:57):
leading most of the teachers time to be spent on him.
A school counselor administered.The Wechsler Intelligence.
Scale for children. Dash Revised Or we're going to.
Call it the whisker, Scott. Scored an overall.
IQ of 76, which shows that he had a.
Borderline mental. Disability, The average IQ.
In the United States, as of 2022is 98, The school found Doctor
(08:21):
Victoria Weiss. To help with Scott's case, she
said that with all the. Evidence that a neurological
disorder might be present. However, more testing needed to
be done first When Scott Scott was in 3rd grade, a school
counselor who had. Seen, Scott regularly said.
Quote I would. Evaluate Scott's psychological.
Problems as being extremely serious.
(08:42):
I've worked as an elementary school counselor for nine years
in three different schools and had to deal with some very
serious cases. Scott's is the most serious.
Of all. When Scott was in 4th grade,
intense testing was done to evaluate what was happening at
Cardinal Glenor Children's Hospital.
Scott was given the whisker testonce again and scored an overall
(09:03):
72. IQ, however, the doctor said.
That the rise in the number was more than likely.
The result of the practice. Effect since Scott was given the
test less than a year. Earlier Doctor Pasquale Ocardo.
A neurodevelopmental pediatrician evaluated Scott.
After this. He said the worst thing.
Possible is that Scott was quote.
Retarded, but the best thing possible is that he is
(09:26):
hyperkinetic and will. Outgrow it by the.
Time. He turns 12 when.
Doctor Ocardo asked. What Scott?
Wanted to be when he. Grew up, Scott replied.
Quote dead. Scott was diagnosed with ADHD,
mild neurological brain damage, learning disabilities, and quote
adjustment reaction of. Childhood with depressive
(09:46):
features, he was. Also said to have intermittent.
Explosive disorder the school was.
Notified of the findings and wasrecommended to place Scott in a
special education program full time along with administering.
Speech therapy, he was never. Enrolled and never got the the
help he needed. Luckily, though, Scott was.
Enrolled in a special education course in the 4th and 5th.
(10:07):
Grade Scott passed 4th grade butfailed 5th grade all his.
Core academic classes were failing while PE, art, music and
spelling remained high. He had to repeat 5th.
Grade. And because of this, he was
dropped from the special education course, which makes
absolutely zero sense. Wouldn't you think that if a
student? Failed a full grade of school.
(10:28):
That a special. Education course would be
promoted more. Again, just another instance of
Scott never getting the help he needed.
Scott's middle school counselor,Miss Vedder, administered the
whisker test again in 7th grade.But his?
Score dropped to an overall of 79 and at the end of 7th grade
Scott was failing every single. Class Except.
PE Scott was getting. Treated for his hyperactivity.
(10:52):
And ADHD with a medication called Sylert, and was also
given Ritalin twice a day. However, Scott's parents stopped
giving him the medication. A school committee looking at
Scott evaluated that he never emotionally.
Or socially developed. Properly.
And that depression was now getting in the way of Scott's
learning. Around this time, Scott claimed
(11:13):
that he started to notice a shift in his identity and his.
Body he started to wear. Woman's clothing in the privacy
of his room. This was all done without his
parents or guardians around because of the.
Fear of abuse or ridicule. The American Psychological
Association gives some points onstudents exploring their gender
identity and how it can affect them in a learning environment.
(11:35):
One, gender diverse students often report feeling unsafe at
school, avoiding gender specificspaces such as restrooms, and
experiencing harassment at school.
Two gender diverse students experiencing gender related
stressors at school are more likely to be absent.
Have lower GPA S Report higher levels of.
(11:55):
Depression. Engage in substance use and
risky behaviors and be at an elevated.
Risk for suicide? And three, some students may
live in their affirmed gender identity with.
Peers at school. But not at home.
Or vice versa it is. Possible that along with all the
traumas that Scott went through already, that this gender
dysmorphia he is experiencing istruly having an impact on his
(12:18):
mentality he's going. Through the biggest sexual.
Change of his life. Which is puberty, obviously so.
Many hormonal changes and brain rewiring are happening along
with even more confusion about life.
Along with this confusion was probably an intense fear of more
abuse for something he couldn't control.
This truly had to be a struggle.For him to come to terms with
(12:39):
and we see this is true when it takes Scott another. 30 plus
years to. Finally, talk.
About his secret he had. And make the transition in
prison around this time, along with trauma, constant abuse, a
sexual identity crisis and problems with.
School Scott was also. Informed by an unknown
individual that he was adopted. Scott thought that Jill his.
(13:00):
Biological mother was only a babysitter.
On top of learning he was adopted, Scott also found out
that his adoptive siblings were actually his true biological
siblings. Scott came to the realization
also that is now realized biological mother treated his
now realized biological siblingsmuch differently than he was
(13:20):
treated, meaning that his younger brother and sister had
supervised visits with their mother.
But Scott did not one time whileher siblings were visiting their
mother at the courthouse. Scott saw his biological.
Grandmother but was. Afraid to hug her because.
He didn't want to get in trouble, his grandmother said.
Quote well. Honey, they're right around the
corner. You won't get in trouble.
(13:41):
If you hurry, Scott. Ran and gave his grandmother a
quick hug and kiss before the family turned the corner.
Wow, what a roller. Coaster this kid went through.
For the most part, being adoptedis mostly a positive experience,
getting away from a neglectful or incapable household and being
brought into a good, stable household.
Is usually good for Scott. This clearly wasn't the case he
(14:02):
went from. Shit to shit.
To more shit, consider adoption.com give some negative.
Effects that a child. Can have, from being adopted 1
struggles with low self esteem, 2 identity issues or feeling
unsure of where they fit in. Three, difficulty forming
emotional attachments and four, a sense of.
Grief or Loss? Related to their birth family.
(14:24):
Along with these, I can assume that Scott was very angry and
more confused. About life he was.
Clearly lied to and deceived formost of his life, his mother
treated him very differently andclearly fully abandoned him
physically and mentally. Scott's IQ was tested.
Again in the 10th grade, and he had an overall score of 81, but
still fell into the realm of being behaviorally and
(14:47):
educationally disabled. Miss Vedder wrote a letter to
Mclaughlin's noting how Scott was talking about suicide and
how things would be. Better if he was dead.
Although the teachers and counselors.
Tried to help. Scott was never given the
intensity and continuality of treatment he so desperately
needed. His adoptive family never helped
either, since they thought counseling was a waste of time.
(15:10):
Scott ultimately failed. High school as the.
System failed him. He dropped out in the 11th grade
after dropping out of high school.
Scott became a worker, finding odd jobs when available, such as
being a. Dishwasher factory.
Assembler and day laborer. This along with being in jail a
few times. Was how the rest of Scott's life
played out. At age 18, Scott attempted.
(15:31):
Suicide for the first. Time on February 12th, 1991,
Scott. Was rushed to the hospital.
After he took numerous aspirins to overdose when asked.
Why? He said he.
Couldn't tell them he was. Discharged 2 days later with the
adoptive. Parents present, they were.
Referred to a therapist for a follow.
Up but no records show anything was done.
Now I am no. Expert but.
(15:53):
Only 1% of aspirin. Overdoses lead to death,
usually. An induced heart attack?
Clearly, Scott wouldn't have known this.
Without further research. And I am in no way minimizing
his depression or suicidal ideations.
Suicide is a real issue. And this young man obviously
needed serious help and I believe this could have been his
attempt to gain some attention and hopefully get some help or
(16:15):
be seen by the right person. But once again nothing was ever
done. After moving out of his parents
house, he continued to wear woman's clothing now that he
had. His full privacy.
From the early 90s until the early 2000s, Scott kept odd jobs
over the years and was in and out of prison.
Some charges Scott managed to get over the years included.
(16:36):
Forgery. Stealing without consent, third
degree, assault, vehicle theft, trespassing, property damage,
and. First degree sexual.
Assault on a minor teenage teenage girl.
I couldn't find much of a timeline within this decade, but
I'm not. Quite sure how he was able to
serve. Time for all of these.
Especially the sexual assault. On a minor and still be out in
(16:58):
2002. However, up until 2002 and 2003,
Scott was being seen by multipletherapists and doctors who all
diagnosed him with major depression and suicidal
ideations and kept upping his. Doses of Paxil.
Now in 2002, Scott met and started a relationship with
Beverly Gwenther. I couldn't find much information
(17:20):
about. Her.
But here's what I. Do know, when Beverly was an
older teenager, she got married and moved out of her house.
She married a young man named Greg and they had three children
together. One of their children drowned in
a swimming. Pool as a toddler.
The marriage ended in a divorce and this made.
Beverly Very depressed. Which?
Led to her not working for several years.
(17:40):
After the divorce. She did have training as as a
medical assistant, though, and she also bred bull terriers and
was doing work as a graphic designer printing T.
Shirts later, she started. Working at a relatives business
in Earth City. Relatives.
Described her as a charming woman who had many friends and
loved her family and animals. She always paid her bills.
(18:01):
And won people over her with hercharming personality, her older
brother. Al Weedpole was six years.
Older than Beverly, he later. Said quote She was really.
Turning her life around it. Took a few years.
But she finally got herself backtogether.
Then Beverly met. Scott quote the worst mistake.
She ever made, Al said when he met.
Scott Al described his sister. 'S boyfriend as manipulative,
(18:25):
controlling, and. Quote Very abusive physically.
And mentally now, several monthsafter meeting, they moved in
together, which was riddled withhuge fights, breakups and
makeups. Beverly worked at Compucard
offices in Saint Louis, and Scott attended the workplace
Christmas party in 2002. However, the relationship
officially ended in the spring of 2003 after.
(18:47):
The breakup. Scott would harass Beverly quite
frequently. Scott would cut up her.
Shoes and would hide in the bushes, then jump out and grope.
Beverly Scott would even show upat her workplace multiple times
and even hid inside the building.
This led to Beverly filing a restraining.
Order which she was. Granted.
After this, the police would escort Beverly.
To and from her. Car at work.
(19:09):
Beverly also informed her friends and neighbors, who all
banded together to create a communal safety net.
For her, they would. Keep an eye out for any strange
activities. On October 27th, 2003, Scott was
seen moving items from Beverly'shome, including an attempt to
remove. The deep freezer police were.
Called and. Scott was arrested for burglary.
(19:29):
He claimed he was only removing his belongings from the house
following their breakup. Scott was arranged on the.
Burglary charge. On November 18th, 2003, his
hearing was scheduled for November 21st.
So on the night of November 20th, neighbors noticed that
Beverly hadn't returned home from work because she told her
neighbors. Of the issue she was.
(19:50):
Having with Scott, they knew something was wrong and they
called the. Police, police were obviously.
Concerned since they knew Scott's past and very recent
charges, they went to Beverly's work and found a bloody broken
knife handle in the parking lot.Beside a large area of.
Blood and spatter and drag marksthrough the blood to an area
that abruptly ended. They very quickly suspected
(20:12):
Scott of the. Crime.
And the next day, he was. Arrested as he arrived at the
hospital, Scott. Was then taken in for
questioning at the police station and he was interviewed
by Detective NESC of the Saint Louis Police Department.
Scott was unable to tell NESC. Where the body.
Was because of how emotional he was, Scott then decided to drive
with NESC. To where?
(20:32):
The body. Was.
When he arrived he was unshackled and uncuffed and told
NESC. Quote.
I'm not running anymore. So what happened to Beverly?
Well, on the night of November 20th, Beverly was getting ready
to leave. Work as Scott arrived.
And hid outside waiting for her.On this night, the police were
not giving Beverly an. Escort to her car, which is just
(20:54):
horrible. Hindsight as Beverly left work,
Scott came out and. Startled her.
She told him that she did not want to talk and tried getting
to her truck. Scott was not.
Happy with this, so he forced Beverly to the ground where he
raped her before. Stabbing her seven times, which
created a fan like blood. Spatter pattern He also did this
with. So much force and rage that the
(21:16):
handle was broken off and left behind.
After this, he dragged Beverly to his car, where he placed her.
Body in the hatchback. He then drove to the Mississippi
River, where his original plan was to dump her body in the
river. But Scott ran into some trouble
with the underbrush that made it.
Difficult to get to the. River.
He then placed her body under some of the underbrush and left.
(21:36):
Scott then slept in his car because.
As he blew a. Tire While disposing of Beverly
the next morning, Scott returnedhome where he cleaned his car
with. Bleach as the.
Day went on. He became increasingly nervous
and had a friend drive him to the.
Hospital to get treated. For a mental illness, this.
Is where he was arrested. And taken in for questioning.
Clearly after this. Scott was arraigned on the
(21:57):
charges of first degree murder. Forcible rape and two.
Counts of armed criminal action,one for the murder and one for
the rape. Scott's counsel.
Tried to get a felony murder instruction given to the.
The jury, however, this was. Denied.
It was clearly obvious to the judge and jury that Scott
committed these crimes. So after all the evidence was
submitted in the guilt. Phase Scott moved to acquit the
(22:19):
forcible rape charge because the.
Evidence could not prove. That he had.
Intercourse with the victim while she was.
Alive. I absolutely hate when.
Somebody pulls this crap in trial and.
Clearly, the trial court agrees.They overturned this request and
said quote, I don't know. That she actually has to be
alive at the. Actual time, time of the sexual
(22:41):
penetration, when it says forcible compulsion, this is all
part. Of rape so.
If a man in the process of raping a woman is killing her,
that's the forcible compulsion. Even if Scott had sexual.
Intercourse with the victim at the riverbank.
After she was dead, it's quote still a part of the.
Continuous series of events. That's.
Part of the rape. If then a person is attacking
(23:04):
another person in pursuit of raping them and the victim dies
before him and that does not remove the fact that the person
raped them at some point. Before or after death?
A Tennessee Supreme Court stated, Quote, We are likewise.
Unable to embrace the notion that the fortuitous circumstance
for the rapist that death may have preceded penetration by an
(23:25):
instant negates Commission of the crime of aggravated rape and
reduces it to a relatively minoroffense associated with erotic
attraction to dead bodies, reading the live only
requirement into the statue encourages rapist to kill their
victims in our opinion. So with everything, the evidence
was given to the jury for deliberation and Scott was found
(23:47):
guilty of first degree murder, forcible rape, and one count of
armed criminal action with regards to the murder.
But was acquitted of the. Count related to the rape.
So now it comes down to the sentencing, which becomes a huge
controversy later. In this case, in the sentencing
phase, a psychiatrist named. Keith Caruso was.
(24:08):
Called by the defense to testifyabout Scott's mental health.
However, he told the. Defense attorneys that during
cross examination in a previous trial, evidence that he had
falsified research data became known.
Because of this, the defense decided not to call Doctor
Crusoe in fear. That they would have to.
Disclose the previous scandal. Most of the defense's opening
(24:29):
statements at the penalty phase consisted of testimony and
evidence that would be presentedthat shows Scott's mental health
issues. The defense broke this promise.
Larry Comp Who is Scott's defense?
Attorney after the trial. Said that the misconduct.
Of Doctor Crusoe. Never had to be disclosed.
At trial, it was a. Huge mistake that was quote
based on ignorance and misunderstanding of Missouri
(24:52):
law. So with almost zero evidence to
mitigate Scott's actions, the jury was sent in to deliberate
Scott's sentence. The jury was given four
different aggravating circumstances to decide on, and
they accepted. One of the four, which was
depravity of mind, could not conclude that the aggravating
outweighed the mitigating and they became deadlocked.
(25:13):
They could not pass down a sentence of death, so they
returned and informed the court in any.
Case of a deadlocked. Jury.
The default is almost. Always.
Life in prison without the. Possibility of parole, however.
In Indiana and Missouri, the trial judge can make the final
decision. Despite the jury's deadlock.
In this case, Judge Stephen H Goldman said, quote, I think
(25:36):
that Beverly Guenther lived at the and a tortured life and she
died a tortured death. You made her worst fears come
true when you killed her and then sentenced Scott A
McLaughlin to death for first degree murder and two
consecutive life sentences. For the forcible rape.
And armed criminal action. Scott tried to.
(25:56):
Appeal that section. 565.030.4. Given the judge power to impose
a death sentence. After a jury was deadlocked,
Scott. Refers to ring versus Arizona.
Which states quote. Capital defendants, no less than
non capital defendants are entitled to a jury determination
of any fact on which the legislature conditions an
(26:19):
increase in their maximum punishments.
Basically, there is a three-stepprocess that the jury.
Must go through to find the sentence.
First, they agree or disagree. On the aggravating circumstances
that were submitted. Next they look at the mitigating
circumstances submitted and see if they outweigh the aggravating
circumstances or not. And in the final stage of the
(26:40):
deliberation process, the jury then deliberates on all of this
info and determines the sentence.
What the ring case is bringing up is that the jury must
unanimously. Agree throughout all three steps
of this process. For a death sentence to be
imposed without unanimous decisions on.
All three steps the trial court is required.
To impose a life sentence. Furthering this, Scott refers to
(27:04):
another. Case state versus Whitfield that
used the. Principles of the Ring.
Case It states that quote as thestatute required the jury to.
Find all three of the facts submitted in steps one through 3
in order to impose a death sentence.
The. Failure of the.
The jury to find one of these three.
Facts. Required entry of a life
sentence, so in the. Whitfield case.
(27:26):
The jury. Followed A at the time four step
deliberation process. At this time, it was.
OK for a jury. To unanimously agree on steps
one through. Three, but disagree on step.
Four in this situation, the decision of sentencing.
Does go to the judge. The judge will follow.
The same exact deliberation process.
As the jury did. This was only allowed when the
(27:49):
jury could not agree on the 4th and final.
Step of the said process. The judge in this case passed
down a sentence of death, however, since there was no.
Way to tell which step. The jury was not unanimous
because there was no. Specific jury.
Interrogatory submitted Whitfield's sentence.
Was reduced to. Life in prison, so basically.
(28:09):
Scott. Argued that in any case,
including his, the required sentence should be life in
prison in the situation where a.Jury is deadlocked, however,
this appeals court. Says that's not.
True, The Whitfield case. Never stated that the judge
couldn't impose a life sentence rather.
The issue was that the. Jury didn't use interrogatories
(28:29):
to show when they couldn't agreeon something, but in.
Scott's case. The jury.
Did use interrogatories and found the factual evidence
necessary to sentence Scott to death, but they couldn't decide.
They did not make an error in the deliberation.
Process. Scott also argued that the
judge. Went beyond the jury's factual
(28:50):
findings and found that there were excessive acts of physical
violence and aggravating circumstance that the jury
rejected, the judge noted. That these acts quote.
Encompassed beating, stabbing, and sexual intercourse on a
continuous. Basis Scott.
Argues that this goes against. The jury's failure to.
Find that the murder was committed while he was
perpetrating the forcible rape. Supported by the fact they.
(29:13):
Acquitted him of the armed criminal action charge regarding
the Forcible. Rape.
The appeals court disagrees. And states that.
The jury did. Find him guilty of forcible rape
on the victim, which is not inconsistent with anything the
judge. Ruled this appeals court ruled
that the rape. Only must be done without
someone's consent while using force to accomplish it in the
(29:35):
act of trying to rape. The victim was killed.
Leaving that person unable to consent still, thus confirming
the rape conviction. Scott's sentence was confirmed
in 2016, however. Scott was.
Ordered to have a new sentence hearing, the judge in this
appeal said that. Scott's lawyers were
ineffective. For not submitting medical.
(29:56):
Records to. Support his mental health
issues. Scott.
Was then sent to Patasi Corrections Center, a male
prison in Washington County, Missouri.
This is where Scott. Started to transition to a woman
in 2020, but I couldn't find an exact.
Date or year of this. Transition She then met an
acquaintance and fellow inmate, Jessica Hicklin, who was helping
(30:18):
her and other transgenders in prison.
Hicklin won a lawsuit against the Missouri Corrections
department in 2018, challenging a policy that prohibited hormone
therapy for inmates that weren'treceiving it before their
incarceration. This also goes.
Along with a 2015 federal rulingthat state prison officials must
treat an inmate's gender identity condition.
(30:39):
Just as they would treat. Physical or mental health
concerns, Hicklin stated. That she rarely spoke to.
Amber now calling Scott. Amber from now on but.
She did help her with. Filing paperwork and giving
guidance on receiving mental health counseling, Hicklin said.
Quote, definitely a vulnerable person, definitely afraid of
being assaulted or victimized, which is more common for trans
(31:01):
folks in the Department of Corrections.
So after being ordered a new sentencing hearing and starting
her transition, a federal court reinstated her death sentence in
2021. All her.
Appeals were exhausted at this. Point, and her last chance of
avoiding the death sentence was to get clemency from the
Governor. Amber's clemency position to
(31:22):
Governor Mike Parson argued thatthe judge in the trial didn't
listen to any reports about her traumatic childhood.
Her foster parents rubbed feces in her.
Face as a toddler and her adoptive father, allegedly.
Used a stun gun on her and much more that we already discussed
at the beginning, a group of judges wrote to Governor Parson
trying to gain a clemency approval for Amber stating.
(31:43):
Quote A jury is the voice of the.
Community in which the crime occurred and that voice where
Beverly Gwent was murdered. Said that the state.
Did not sustain its burden to merit a death sentence.
Quote she was. Sentenced to death via a flaw in
Missouri's capital sentencing scheme.
This removes the life or death decision from the jury when the
(32:04):
jury cannot vote unanimously fordeath, and places that awesome
power in the hands of one individual.
They added quote each of. Us is more than the worst thing
we've ever done. Governor Parson confirmed the
execution though stating quote McLaughlin stalked, raped and
murdered Miss Gwenther McLaughlin is a violent
(32:24):
criminal. Miss Gwenther's family and loved
ones deserve peace. Amber's execution was then
scheduled for January 3rd, 2023.With this.
Huge amount of news coverage on Amber Al Weedpole the.
Older brother of Beverly. Who attended the trial and all
the appeals trials? Said that he was.
Bothered by the extreme focus onAmber's identity.
(32:46):
Felt that his sister. 'S murder was being lost in the
news coverage. He emphasized that he wasn't
trying to belittle anybody, but he felt like Mclaughlins
transition was a ploy. He added.
To the statement saying quote, it seems like it's pretty
premeditated to. Try to get.
Out of the death penalty. So on January 3rd, 2023, Amber
ate her last meal that consistedof a cheeseburger, French fries,
(33:10):
a strawberry milkshake and peanut M&M's.
She wrote a final statement thatsaid quote, I am sorry.
For what I did. I am a loving and caring person.
She was then taken to the execution chamber, where she
was. Strapped to the table.
She was present with a. Spiritual advisor who quietly.
Thanked Amber as the fatal drug was administered into her
bloodstream. She closed.
(33:31):
Her eyes and was pronounced deadat 6:51 PM and her sentence was.
Served. Wow, what a case like.
Holy. Crap.
That was a lot. Do I personally feel like Amber
(33:51):
deserved to be put? To death.
I'm not sure. I mean, what she went through
was. Absolutely horrible, all the
abuse. And neglect she went through
was. Absolutely.
Horrible, but I mean, she. Did take a life.
And what's really unfortunate? In this case is that.
All the systems that were in place to help someone like
Scott, totally. Failed to help.
(34:13):
And it's so unfortunate because it happened so often and we
don't even. Realize it, but looking at the.
Legalities of the case like it's.
Pretty iffy to me personally. To give the judge ultimate.
Power to sentence somebody to death, however.
It is Missouri's law. Whether I agree with.
It or not? And the appeals court explaining
(34:34):
the ring and. Whitfield case.
Made 110% sense with LIKE. The judge and the jury.
And the the deliberation processlike it all made total sense and
in regards. To Missouri's law.
That's their law. So in that regard I guess?
Like, don't murder people in. Missouri, I guess, I mean.
Don't murder. People at all like, let's just
(34:56):
let's stop. Murdering people, OK.
However, she did clearly. Murder.
Beverly Like, there's 110% certainty that Scott, Amber.
Murdered Beverly. And.
I think that's my biggest. Problem with the death penalty.
Is that we? Fuck it up so many times, but in
a case. Like this?
He. She clearly did it so.
(35:18):
But I'm not going to get into that debate.
Of. Anti pro, whatever.
If you do want to read my opinion.
However, you can go to Last Supper.
Podcast.com/about. And you can read.
All about my. Opinions on On the death?
Penalty. There.
Now let's dive into this meal. I mean this.
Looks so delicious. I can't wait to try it.
(35:39):
Hey, it's. Coda King.
And that concludes. The second episode of The Last
Supper. Wherever you're watching or
listening, give me a subscription or follow.
Me. And if you are on a podcast
(36:00):
directory, you can give me upwards of a five star review
which I would highly appreciate.And if you're on YouTube, I
recommend you watch this video. It's about how I built.
My electric chair. And I'll see you in that video.
But until then, make sure you enjoy every meal, because you
never know when it will be your last.
After 17 years of appeals, rejections, more appeals, a
social uproar. And a sex change.
Amber McLaughlin was taken from her.
Cell on January 3rd. 2023 and led to the execution chamber, as
she was. Strapped to the table, she spoke
to her spiritual advisor. The lethal drug was administered
into her bloodstream and soon ittook her last breath and became
(00:21):
the first openly transgender. Individual put to death.
In American history, welcome. To the Last Supper.
Hello and welcome to EPISODE. Two of The Last Supper, a true
(00:45):
crime podcast. My name is Coulson Davis and I'm
an amateur chef, a true crime junkie.
Music and video. Producer and a content creator
every other week on this. Podcast I will be.
Telling a true death. Penalty case story.
And at the same time, I will be cooking that criminal's last
requested meal. Before they were executed.
This week we're. Looking at Amber slash Scott
(01:05):
McLaughlin and no, not the. New Zealand race car driver My
last. Meal consisted of a
cheeseburger. French fries.
A strawberry milkshake and some.Peanut M and Ms. You can find
the. Recipe that I've written for
this episode at Last Supper podcast dot.
Com slash blog now for this. Episode I would like to add a
very special. Disclaimer This episode contains
(01:27):
topics about a transgender individual sexual assault.
And child abuse, abuse that. Some people may find offense.
I would like to state for the record that I do respect.
Everybody and their preference. References, and especially in
this case, transgenders this story and all my.
Research is strictly fact based.I do consider, however, that.
(01:47):
Some people may find. Sexual assault, child abuse, or
the topics? Of a transgender individual
offensive and in that. Regard, I advise you to skip
this episode. And I will.
Hopefully be seeing you guys in episode. 3.
Now a. Special clarification for this
episode. Is also needed.
This case is about an individualwho at the time of birth was
(02:07):
male at the time of their crime.Time was a male.
And up until about 2020. Was still technically a male for
mental story visualization purposes only.
I will be. Referring to this individual as.
Scott. He and him at the time when they
were technically male. Now I'll be referring to this
individual as Amber, her and sheat the time when they
(02:28):
transitioned to A. Female.
This is not to be. Disrespectful.
To this individual's preferencesat the time of their death, it
is. Only for storytelling purposes
only. Now for everyone else.
Who is still here? After my ramble, Thank you.
Buckle up for this. Doozy.
And let's. Talk about the case.
Of Amber Mcclough. Scott A McLaughlin was born on
(02:54):
January 13th, 1973 to his parents Jill Daffner, who is a
prostitute, and Howard Daffner who was a working.
Alcoholic Jill. Drank heavily during her
pregnancy with Scott, which led to him being diagnosed.
Later with fetal alcohol. Syndrome, which can affect your
central nervous system and growth.
It can eventually lead to problems with learning, memory,
(03:15):
speech, attention span, etcetera.
Jill and. Howard were always physically.
And emotionally violent towards each.
Other while Jill. Was a few months pregnant.
Howard threw her to the. Ground and stomped on her head
repeatedly. Another time, Howard choked her
so. Hard, Jill thought.
She. Was going to die.
After Scott was born, the violence continued.
Scott witnessed many frequent violent drunken outburst from
(03:37):
his father and mother when Howard beat.
Jill he beat. Scott, too.
One incident occurred where. Howard beat.
Scott with a broomstick simply because he woke.
Howard up. And another time, Howard dragged
Scott out from under a bed he was hiding under and mercilessly
beat him with a belt. Howard later lost his job.
And decided to return home. And almost.
(03:58):
Beat Jill to death. Her eyes were so black.
They matched her black sunglasses used to cover them
up, and every time Jill would call the.
Police. They refused to help.
Unless she pressed charges on Howard, which she never did.
However, we can't excuse Jill from her role in everything,
too. She was just as abusive.
And incompetent as. Howard Scott was left with.
(04:19):
Permanent scars on his hand fromhow often his mother would burn
him with cigarettes while in thecustody of his biological
parents, Scott experienced 3 different head injuries.
The first was when Scott. Was three years.
Old and riding his big. Wheel tricycle he rode.
Onto the road and got. Hit by a car.
He woke up in the hospital and still had a scar on his left
eyebrow from the accident. The second was when Scott
(04:42):
managed to. Crawl out of a second.
Story window of their family house onto the roof with Jill
and Howard watching from below. Scott jumped and crashed to the
ground and the last serious incident occurred when a very
intoxicated Howard drug Scott down a hallway and smashed his
head against the wall before throwing him violently back
into. His bed at the age.
(05:02):
Of five, Scott was willingly given up to the child.
Protective Services. By his mother.
Later, Scott's younger brother and sister were removed from the
house and their mother desperately tried to gain back
custody of the siblings. Especially the sister.
But never tried to get. Custody of Scott.
Based on Scott's emotional stateand his speech impairments,
child. Productive services suspected
(05:23):
that he was, quote, retarded Scott.
Was then sent to a foster home. There was no solid.
Records of Scott's Foster. Family or what happened there?
However, there is evidence that while at the home, Scott's
foster parents rubbed a feces inhis face.
It was so bad at the Foster. Home that Scott said he wanted
to go back to his neglectful, abusive mother.
Later that same year, Scott and his younger siblings were
(05:46):
adopted by Harlan and Lois McLaughlin, their great paternal
aunt and uncle. The abuse didn't stop after
this, though. It only seemed to get.
Worse, Scott's adoptive father. Harlan was a police.
Officer who was especially abusive.
Towards Scott Harlan had a wooden paddle that he named.
Quote the Board of Education. And would.
Beat the kids regularly with it.He was even said to use his
(06:09):
Taser gun and nightstick on the kids.
Too Scott? Was the primary target of
Harlan's abuse and would beat Scott every night at 1:30 AM
when he got home from work. One time, Scott awoke to Harlan,
dragging him out of. Bed by his hair.
He pulled Scott down the hallwayto the kitchen, where he slammed
Scott's head against the deep freezer, Which?
Split. His scalp.
(06:30):
The parents would also lock the cabinet door so the kids
couldn't. Access food and before.
Every meal the parents wood forest, the kids to drink full.
Glasses of water, so they. Wouldn't eat as much now.
Warning for the next 10 seconds,it involves animal cruelty.
One time the household cat gave birth to.
Kittens. The mother forced the children
to kill the kittens by drowning them in a bucket of water.
(06:52):
Scott refused to do this. And was brutally punished for
it. Childhood friends would.
Later testify at the trial. That the home was a quote, House
of horrors. At school, the abuse was
obvious. A teacher.
For the children, Miss Ella. Fritz.
Paid for the kids lunches because of how hungry they were.
Another teacher, Miss Davis. Called Child Protective
(07:12):
Services. Four times within a one month
period, she later stated. That she would average about.
One call to the hotline. Per year, but she felt.
Compelled to call repeatedly forScott when Scott was in first
grade, a teacher conducted the handicapped student Initial
referral form and the teacher noted quote, constant behavioral
problems, constant motion, impulsive, aggressive.
(07:35):
Scott was referred to a psychologist, but this?
Wasn't prioritized and eventually nothing was done.
Now, this is a reoccurring themeof nothing being done that we're
going to be seeing repeatedly. Throughout this story, which is
so. Frustrating by second.
Grade A teacher said that Scott was able to do his work, but was
always. Insecure and anxious about it.
Scott. Was always disruptive in class,
(07:57):
leading most of the teachers time to be spent on him.
A school counselor administered.The Wechsler Intelligence.
Scale for children. Dash Revised Or we're going to.
Call it the whisker, Scott. Scored an overall.
IQ of 76, which shows that he had a.
Borderline mental. Disability, The average IQ.
In the United States, as of 2022is 98, The school found Doctor
(08:21):
Victoria Weiss. To help with Scott's case, she
said that with all the. Evidence that a neurological
disorder might be present. However, more testing needed to
be done first When Scott Scott was in 3rd grade, a school
counselor who had. Seen, Scott regularly said.
Quote I would. Evaluate Scott's psychological.
Problems as being extremely serious.
(08:42):
I've worked as an elementary school counselor for nine years
in three different schools and had to deal with some very
serious cases. Scott's is the most serious.
Of all. When Scott was in 4th grade,
intense testing was done to evaluate what was happening at
Cardinal Glenor Children's Hospital.
Scott was given the whisker testonce again and scored an overall
(09:03):
72. IQ, however, the doctor said.
That the rise in the number was more than likely.
The result of the practice. Effect since Scott was given the
test less than a year. Earlier Doctor Pasquale Ocardo.
A neurodevelopmental pediatrician evaluated Scott.
After this. He said the worst thing.
Possible is that Scott was quote.
Retarded, but the best thing possible is that he is
(09:26):
hyperkinetic and will. Outgrow it by the.
Time. He turns 12 when.
Doctor Ocardo asked. What Scott?
Wanted to be when he. Grew up, Scott replied.
Quote dead. Scott was diagnosed with ADHD,
mild neurological brain damage, learning disabilities, and quote
adjustment reaction of. Childhood with depressive
(09:46):
features, he was. Also said to have intermittent.
Explosive disorder the school was.
Notified of the findings and wasrecommended to place Scott in a
special education program full time along with administering.
Speech therapy, he was never. Enrolled and never got the the
help he needed. Luckily, though, Scott was.
Enrolled in a special education course in the 4th and 5th.
(10:07):
Grade Scott passed 4th grade butfailed 5th grade all his.
Core academic classes were failing while PE, art, music and
spelling remained high. He had to repeat 5th.
Grade. And because of this, he was
dropped from the special education course, which makes
absolutely zero sense. Wouldn't you think that if a
student? Failed a full grade of school.
(10:28):
That a special. Education course would be
promoted more. Again, just another instance of
Scott never getting the help he needed.
Scott's middle school counselor,Miss Vedder, administered the
whisker test again in 7th grade.But his?
Score dropped to an overall of 79 and at the end of 7th grade
Scott was failing every single. Class Except.
PE Scott was getting. Treated for his hyperactivity.
(10:52):
And ADHD with a medication called Sylert, and was also
given Ritalin twice a day. However, Scott's parents stopped
giving him the medication. A school committee looking at
Scott evaluated that he never emotionally.
Or socially developed. Properly.
And that depression was now getting in the way of Scott's
learning. Around this time, Scott claimed
(11:13):
that he started to notice a shift in his identity and his.
Body he started to wear. Woman's clothing in the privacy
of his room. This was all done without his
parents or guardians around because of the.
Fear of abuse or ridicule. The American Psychological
Association gives some points onstudents exploring their gender
identity and how it can affect them in a learning environment.
(11:35):
One, gender diverse students often report feeling unsafe at
school, avoiding gender specificspaces such as restrooms, and
experiencing harassment at school.
Two gender diverse students experiencing gender related
stressors at school are more likely to be absent.
Have lower GPA S Report higher levels of.
(11:55):
Depression. Engage in substance use and
risky behaviors and be at an elevated.
Risk for suicide? And three, some students may
live in their affirmed gender identity with.
Peers at school. But not at home.
Or vice versa it is. Possible that along with all the
traumas that Scott went through already, that this gender
dysmorphia he is experiencing istruly having an impact on his
(12:18):
mentality he's going. Through the biggest sexual.
Change of his life. Which is puberty, obviously so.
Many hormonal changes and brain rewiring are happening along
with even more confusion about life.
Along with this confusion was probably an intense fear of more
abuse for something he couldn't control.
This truly had to be a struggle.For him to come to terms with
(12:39):
and we see this is true when it takes Scott another. 30 plus
years to. Finally, talk.
About his secret he had. And make the transition in
prison around this time, along with trauma, constant abuse, a
sexual identity crisis and problems with.
School Scott was also. Informed by an unknown
individual that he was adopted. Scott thought that Jill his.
(13:00):
Biological mother was only a babysitter.
On top of learning he was adopted, Scott also found out
that his adoptive siblings were actually his true biological
siblings. Scott came to the realization
also that is now realized biological mother treated his
now realized biological siblingsmuch differently than he was
(13:20):
treated, meaning that his younger brother and sister had
supervised visits with their mother.
But Scott did not one time whileher siblings were visiting their
mother at the courthouse. Scott saw his biological.
Grandmother but was. Afraid to hug her because.
He didn't want to get in trouble, his grandmother said.
Quote well. Honey, they're right around the
corner. You won't get in trouble.
(13:41):
If you hurry, Scott. Ran and gave his grandmother a
quick hug and kiss before the family turned the corner.
Wow, what a roller. Coaster this kid went through.
For the most part, being adoptedis mostly a positive experience,
getting away from a neglectful or incapable household and being
brought into a good, stable household.
Is usually good for Scott. This clearly wasn't the case he
(14:02):
went from. Shit to shit.
To more shit, consider adoption.com give some negative.
Effects that a child. Can have, from being adopted 1
struggles with low self esteem, 2 identity issues or feeling
unsure of where they fit in. Three, difficulty forming
emotional attachments and four, a sense of.
Grief or Loss? Related to their birth family.
(14:24):
Along with these, I can assume that Scott was very angry and
more confused. About life he was.
Clearly lied to and deceived formost of his life, his mother
treated him very differently andclearly fully abandoned him
physically and mentally. Scott's IQ was tested.
Again in the 10th grade, and he had an overall score of 81, but
still fell into the realm of being behaviorally and
(14:47):
educationally disabled. Miss Vedder wrote a letter to
Mclaughlin's noting how Scott was talking about suicide and
how things would be. Better if he was dead.
Although the teachers and counselors.
Tried to help. Scott was never given the
intensity and continuality of treatment he so desperately
needed. His adoptive family never helped
either, since they thought counseling was a waste of time.
(15:10):
Scott ultimately failed. High school as the.
System failed him. He dropped out in the 11th grade
after dropping out of high school.
Scott became a worker, finding odd jobs when available, such as
being a. Dishwasher factory.
Assembler and day laborer. This along with being in jail a
few times. Was how the rest of Scott's life
played out. At age 18, Scott attempted.
(15:31):
Suicide for the first. Time on February 12th, 1991,
Scott. Was rushed to the hospital.
After he took numerous aspirins to overdose when asked.
Why? He said he.
Couldn't tell them he was. Discharged 2 days later with the
adoptive. Parents present, they were.
Referred to a therapist for a follow.
Up but no records show anything was done.
Now I am no. Expert but.
(15:53):
Only 1% of aspirin. Overdoses lead to death,
usually. An induced heart attack?
Clearly, Scott wouldn't have known this.
Without further research. And I am in no way minimizing
his depression or suicidal ideations.
Suicide is a real issue. And this young man obviously
needed serious help and I believe this could have been his
attempt to gain some attention and hopefully get some help or
(16:15):
be seen by the right person. But once again nothing was ever
done. After moving out of his parents
house, he continued to wear woman's clothing now that he
had. His full privacy.
From the early 90s until the early 2000s, Scott kept odd jobs
over the years and was in and out of prison.
Some charges Scott managed to get over the years included.
(16:36):
Forgery. Stealing without consent, third
degree, assault, vehicle theft, trespassing, property damage,
and. First degree sexual.
Assault on a minor teenage teenage girl.
I couldn't find much of a timeline within this decade, but
I'm not. Quite sure how he was able to
serve. Time for all of these.
Especially the sexual assault. On a minor and still be out in
(16:58):
2002. However, up until 2002 and 2003,
Scott was being seen by multipletherapists and doctors who all
diagnosed him with major depression and suicidal
ideations and kept upping his. Doses of Paxil.
Now in 2002, Scott met and started a relationship with
Beverly Gwenther. I couldn't find much information
(17:20):
about. Her.
But here's what I. Do know, when Beverly was an
older teenager, she got married and moved out of her house.
She married a young man named Greg and they had three children
together. One of their children drowned in
a swimming. Pool as a toddler.
The marriage ended in a divorce and this made.
Beverly Very depressed. Which?
Led to her not working for several years.
(17:40):
After the divorce. She did have training as as a
medical assistant, though, and she also bred bull terriers and
was doing work as a graphic designer printing T.
Shirts later, she started. Working at a relatives business
in Earth City. Relatives.
Described her as a charming woman who had many friends and
loved her family and animals. She always paid her bills.
(18:01):
And won people over her with hercharming personality, her older
brother. Al Weedpole was six years.
Older than Beverly, he later. Said quote She was really.
Turning her life around it. Took a few years.
But she finally got herself backtogether.
Then Beverly met. Scott quote the worst mistake.
She ever made, Al said when he met.
Scott Al described his sister. 'S boyfriend as manipulative,
(18:25):
controlling, and. Quote Very abusive physically.
And mentally now, several monthsafter meeting, they moved in
together, which was riddled withhuge fights, breakups and
makeups. Beverly worked at Compucard
offices in Saint Louis, and Scott attended the workplace
Christmas party in 2002. However, the relationship
officially ended in the spring of 2003 after.
(18:47):
The breakup. Scott would harass Beverly quite
frequently. Scott would cut up her.
Shoes and would hide in the bushes, then jump out and grope.
Beverly Scott would even show upat her workplace multiple times
and even hid inside the building.
This led to Beverly filing a restraining.
Order which she was. Granted.
After this, the police would escort Beverly.
To and from her. Car at work.
(19:09):
Beverly also informed her friends and neighbors, who all
banded together to create a communal safety net.
For her, they would. Keep an eye out for any strange
activities. On October 27th, 2003, Scott was
seen moving items from Beverly'shome, including an attempt to
remove. The deep freezer police were.
Called and. Scott was arrested for burglary.
(19:29):
He claimed he was only removing his belongings from the house
following their breakup. Scott was arranged on the.
Burglary charge. On November 18th, 2003, his
hearing was scheduled for November 21st.
So on the night of November 20th, neighbors noticed that
Beverly hadn't returned home from work because she told her
neighbors. Of the issue she was.
(19:50):
Having with Scott, they knew something was wrong and they
called the. Police, police were obviously.
Concerned since they knew Scott's past and very recent
charges, they went to Beverly's work and found a bloody broken
knife handle in the parking lot.Beside a large area of.
Blood and spatter and drag marksthrough the blood to an area
that abruptly ended. They very quickly suspected
(20:12):
Scott of the. Crime.
And the next day, he was. Arrested as he arrived at the
hospital, Scott. Was then taken in for
questioning at the police station and he was interviewed
by Detective NESC of the Saint Louis Police Department.
Scott was unable to tell NESC. Where the body.
Was because of how emotional he was, Scott then decided to drive
with NESC. To where?
(20:32):
The body. Was.
When he arrived he was unshackled and uncuffed and told
NESC. Quote.
I'm not running anymore. So what happened to Beverly?
Well, on the night of November 20th, Beverly was getting ready
to leave. Work as Scott arrived.
And hid outside waiting for her.On this night, the police were
not giving Beverly an. Escort to her car, which is just
(20:54):
horrible. Hindsight as Beverly left work,
Scott came out and. Startled her.
She told him that she did not want to talk and tried getting
to her truck. Scott was not.
Happy with this, so he forced Beverly to the ground where he
raped her before. Stabbing her seven times, which
created a fan like blood. Spatter pattern He also did this
with. So much force and rage that the
(21:16):
handle was broken off and left behind.
After this, he dragged Beverly to his car, where he placed her.
Body in the hatchback. He then drove to the Mississippi
River, where his original plan was to dump her body in the
river. But Scott ran into some trouble
with the underbrush that made it.
Difficult to get to the. River.
He then placed her body under some of the underbrush and left.
(21:36):
Scott then slept in his car because.
As he blew a. Tire While disposing of Beverly
the next morning, Scott returnedhome where he cleaned his car
with. Bleach as the.
Day went on. He became increasingly nervous
and had a friend drive him to the.
Hospital to get treated. For a mental illness, this.
Is where he was arrested. And taken in for questioning.
Clearly after this. Scott was arraigned on the
(21:57):
charges of first degree murder. Forcible rape and two.
Counts of armed criminal action,one for the murder and one for
the rape. Scott's counsel.
Tried to get a felony murder instruction given to the.
The jury, however, this was. Denied.
It was clearly obvious to the judge and jury that Scott
committed these crimes. So after all the evidence was
submitted in the guilt. Phase Scott moved to acquit the
(22:19):
forcible rape charge because the.
Evidence could not prove. That he had.
Intercourse with the victim while she was.
Alive. I absolutely hate when.
Somebody pulls this crap in trial and.
Clearly, the trial court agrees.They overturned this request and
said quote, I don't know. That she actually has to be
alive at the. Actual time, time of the sexual
(22:41):
penetration, when it says forcible compulsion, this is all
part. Of rape so.
If a man in the process of raping a woman is killing her,
that's the forcible compulsion. Even if Scott had sexual.
Intercourse with the victim at the riverbank.
After she was dead, it's quote still a part of the.
Continuous series of events. That's.
Part of the rape. If then a person is attacking
(23:04):
another person in pursuit of raping them and the victim dies
before him and that does not remove the fact that the person
raped them at some point. Before or after death?
A Tennessee Supreme Court stated, Quote, We are likewise.
Unable to embrace the notion that the fortuitous circumstance
for the rapist that death may have preceded penetration by an
(23:25):
instant negates Commission of the crime of aggravated rape and
reduces it to a relatively minoroffense associated with erotic
attraction to dead bodies, reading the live only
requirement into the statue encourages rapist to kill their
victims in our opinion. So with everything, the evidence
was given to the jury for deliberation and Scott was found
(23:47):
guilty of first degree murder, forcible rape, and one count of
armed criminal action with regards to the murder.
But was acquitted of the. Count related to the rape.
So now it comes down to the sentencing, which becomes a huge
controversy later. In this case, in the sentencing
phase, a psychiatrist named. Keith Caruso was.
(24:08):
Called by the defense to testifyabout Scott's mental health.
However, he told the. Defense attorneys that during
cross examination in a previous trial, evidence that he had
falsified research data became known.
Because of this, the defense decided not to call Doctor
Crusoe in fear. That they would have to.
Disclose the previous scandal. Most of the defense's opening
(24:29):
statements at the penalty phase consisted of testimony and
evidence that would be presentedthat shows Scott's mental health
issues. The defense broke this promise.
Larry Comp Who is Scott's defense?
Attorney after the trial. Said that the misconduct.
Of Doctor Crusoe. Never had to be disclosed.
At trial, it was a. Huge mistake that was quote
based on ignorance and misunderstanding of Missouri
(24:52):
law. So with almost zero evidence to
mitigate Scott's actions, the jury was sent in to deliberate
Scott's sentence. The jury was given four
different aggravating circumstances to decide on, and
they accepted. One of the four, which was
depravity of mind, could not conclude that the aggravating
outweighed the mitigating and they became deadlocked.
(25:13):
They could not pass down a sentence of death, so they
returned and informed the court in any.
Case of a deadlocked. Jury.
The default is almost. Always.
Life in prison without the. Possibility of parole, however.
In Indiana and Missouri, the trial judge can make the final
decision. Despite the jury's deadlock.
In this case, Judge Stephen H Goldman said, quote, I think
(25:36):
that Beverly Guenther lived at the and a tortured life and she
died a tortured death. You made her worst fears come
true when you killed her and then sentenced Scott A
McLaughlin to death for first degree murder and two
consecutive life sentences. For the forcible rape.
And armed criminal action. Scott tried to.
(25:56):
Appeal that section. 565.030.4. Given the judge power to impose
a death sentence. After a jury was deadlocked,
Scott. Refers to ring versus Arizona.
Which states quote. Capital defendants, no less than
non capital defendants are entitled to a jury determination
of any fact on which the legislature conditions an
(26:19):
increase in their maximum punishments.
Basically, there is a three-stepprocess that the jury.
Must go through to find the sentence.
First, they agree or disagree. On the aggravating circumstances
that were submitted. Next they look at the mitigating
circumstances submitted and see if they outweigh the aggravating
circumstances or not. And in the final stage of the
(26:40):
deliberation process, the jury then deliberates on all of this
info and determines the sentence.
What the ring case is bringing up is that the jury must
unanimously. Agree throughout all three steps
of this process. For a death sentence to be
imposed without unanimous decisions on.
All three steps the trial court is required.
To impose a life sentence. Furthering this, Scott refers to
(27:04):
another. Case state versus Whitfield that
used the. Principles of the Ring.
Case It states that quote as thestatute required the jury to.
Find all three of the facts submitted in steps one through 3
in order to impose a death sentence.
The. Failure of the.
The jury to find one of these three.
Facts. Required entry of a life
sentence, so in the. Whitfield case.
(27:26):
The jury. Followed A at the time four step
deliberation process. At this time, it was.
OK for a jury. To unanimously agree on steps
one through. Three, but disagree on step.
Four in this situation, the decision of sentencing.
Does go to the judge. The judge will follow.
The same exact deliberation process.
As the jury did. This was only allowed when the
(27:49):
jury could not agree on the 4th and final.
Step of the said process. The judge in this case passed
down a sentence of death, however, since there was no.
Way to tell which step. The jury was not unanimous
because there was no. Specific jury.
Interrogatory submitted Whitfield's sentence.
Was reduced to. Life in prison, so basically.
(28:09):
Scott. Argued that in any case,
including his, the required sentence should be life in
prison in the situation where a.Jury is deadlocked, however,
this appeals court. Says that's not.
True, The Whitfield case. Never stated that the judge
couldn't impose a life sentence rather.
The issue was that the. Jury didn't use interrogatories
(28:29):
to show when they couldn't agreeon something, but in.
Scott's case. The jury.
Did use interrogatories and found the factual evidence
necessary to sentence Scott to death, but they couldn't decide.
They did not make an error in the deliberation.
Process. Scott also argued that the
judge. Went beyond the jury's factual
(28:50):
findings and found that there were excessive acts of physical
violence and aggravating circumstance that the jury
rejected, the judge noted. That these acts quote.
Encompassed beating, stabbing, and sexual intercourse on a
continuous. Basis Scott.
Argues that this goes against. The jury's failure to.
Find that the murder was committed while he was
perpetrating the forcible rape. Supported by the fact they.
(29:13):
Acquitted him of the armed criminal action charge regarding
the Forcible. Rape.
The appeals court disagrees. And states that.
The jury did. Find him guilty of forcible rape
on the victim, which is not inconsistent with anything the
judge. Ruled this appeals court ruled
that the rape. Only must be done without
someone's consent while using force to accomplish it in the
(29:35):
act of trying to rape. The victim was killed.
Leaving that person unable to consent still, thus confirming
the rape conviction. Scott's sentence was confirmed
in 2016, however. Scott was.
Ordered to have a new sentence hearing, the judge in this
appeal said that. Scott's lawyers were
ineffective. For not submitting medical.
(29:56):
Records to. Support his mental health
issues. Scott.
Was then sent to Patasi Corrections Center, a male
prison in Washington County, Missouri.
This is where Scott. Started to transition to a woman
in 2020, but I couldn't find an exact.
Date or year of this. Transition She then met an
acquaintance and fellow inmate, Jessica Hicklin, who was helping
(30:18):
her and other transgenders in prison.
Hicklin won a lawsuit against the Missouri Corrections
department in 2018, challenging a policy that prohibited hormone
therapy for inmates that weren'treceiving it before their
incarceration. This also goes.
Along with a 2015 federal rulingthat state prison officials must
treat an inmate's gender identity condition.
(30:39):
Just as they would treat. Physical or mental health
concerns, Hicklin stated. That she rarely spoke to.
Amber now calling Scott. Amber from now on but.
She did help her with. Filing paperwork and giving
guidance on receiving mental health counseling, Hicklin said.
Quote, definitely a vulnerable person, definitely afraid of
being assaulted or victimized, which is more common for trans
(31:01):
folks in the Department of Corrections.
So after being ordered a new sentencing hearing and starting
her transition, a federal court reinstated her death sentence in
2021. All her.
Appeals were exhausted at this. Point, and her last chance of
avoiding the death sentence was to get clemency from the
Governor. Amber's clemency position to
(31:22):
Governor Mike Parson argued thatthe judge in the trial didn't
listen to any reports about her traumatic childhood.
Her foster parents rubbed feces in her.
Face as a toddler and her adoptive father, allegedly.
Used a stun gun on her and much more that we already discussed
at the beginning, a group of judges wrote to Governor Parson
trying to gain a clemency approval for Amber stating.
(31:43):
Quote A jury is the voice of the.
Community in which the crime occurred and that voice where
Beverly Gwent was murdered. Said that the state.
Did not sustain its burden to merit a death sentence.
Quote she was. Sentenced to death via a flaw in
Missouri's capital sentencing scheme.
This removes the life or death decision from the jury when the
(32:04):
jury cannot vote unanimously fordeath, and places that awesome
power in the hands of one individual.
They added quote each of. Us is more than the worst thing
we've ever done. Governor Parson confirmed the
execution though stating quote McLaughlin stalked, raped and
murdered Miss Gwenther McLaughlin is a violent
(32:24):
criminal. Miss Gwenther's family and loved
ones deserve peace. Amber's execution was then
scheduled for January 3rd, 2023.With this.
Huge amount of news coverage on Amber Al Weedpole the.
Older brother of Beverly. Who attended the trial and all
the appeals trials? Said that he was.
Bothered by the extreme focus onAmber's identity.
(32:46):
Felt that his sister. 'S murder was being lost in the
news coverage. He emphasized that he wasn't
trying to belittle anybody, but he felt like Mclaughlins
transition was a ploy. He added.
To the statement saying quote, it seems like it's pretty
premeditated to. Try to get.
Out of the death penalty. So on January 3rd, 2023, Amber
ate her last meal that consistedof a cheeseburger, French fries,
(33:10):
a strawberry milkshake and peanut M&M's.
She wrote a final statement thatsaid quote, I am sorry.
For what I did. I am a loving and caring person.
She was then taken to the execution chamber, where she
was. Strapped to the table.
She was present with a. Spiritual advisor who quietly.
Thanked Amber as the fatal drug was administered into her
bloodstream. She closed.
(33:31):
Her eyes and was pronounced deadat 6:51 PM and her sentence was.
Served. Wow, what a case like.
Holy. Crap.
That was a lot. Do I personally feel like Amber
(33:51):
deserved to be put? To death.
I'm not sure. I mean, what she went through
was. Absolutely horrible, all the
abuse. And neglect she went through
was. Absolutely.
Horrible, but I mean, she. Did take a life.
And what's really unfortunate? In this case is that.
All the systems that were in place to help someone like
Scott, totally. Failed to help.
(34:13):
And it's so unfortunate because it happened so often and we
don't even. Realize it, but looking at the.
Legalities of the case like it's.
Pretty iffy to me personally. To give the judge ultimate.
Power to sentence somebody to death, however.
It is Missouri's law. Whether I agree with.
It or not? And the appeals court explaining
(34:34):
the ring and. Whitfield case.
Made 110% sense with LIKE. The judge and the jury.
And the the deliberation processlike it all made total sense and
in regards. To Missouri's law.
That's their law. So in that regard I guess?
Like, don't murder people in. Missouri, I guess, I mean.
Don't murder. People at all like, let's just
(34:56):
let's stop. Murdering people, OK.
However, she did clearly. Murder.
Beverly Like, there's 110% certainty that Scott, Amber.
Murdered Beverly. And.
I think that's my biggest. Problem with the death penalty.
Is that we? Fuck it up so many times, but in
a case. Like this?
He. She clearly did it so.
(35:18):
But I'm not going to get into that debate.
Of. Anti pro, whatever.
If you do want to read my opinion.
However, you can go to Last Supper.
Podcast.com/about. And you can read.
All about my. Opinions on On the death?
Penalty. There.
Now let's dive into this meal. I mean this.
Looks so delicious. I can't wait to try it.
(35:39):
Hey, it's. Coda King.
And that concludes. The second episode of The Last
Supper. Wherever you're watching or
listening, give me a subscription or follow.
Me. And if you are on a podcast
(36:00):
directory, you can give me upwards of a five star review
which I would highly appreciate.And if you're on YouTube, I
recommend you watch this video. It's about how I built.
My electric chair. And I'll see you in that video.
But until then, make sure you enjoy every meal, because you
never know when it will be your last.
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