Biden grants clemency to Maryland 'black widow' alleged to have killed three lovers for insurance money

A Maryland woman known as the “Black Widow” for her suspected role in the deaths of two ex-husbands and a lover was granted clemency by President Biden on Wednesday as part of his initiative to reduce sentences for non-violent offenders—a move that angered the criminal's former prosecutor.  

Josephine Gray, a grandmother infamous for her flashy wardrobe, was convicted in 2002 and sentenced to 40 years in prison for insurance fraud linked to the deaths of three men between 1974 and 1996. Investigators alleged she either killed or helped kill her victims and found voodoo-related materials in her possession, including dolls filled with needles, the New York Post reports. 

Although initially charged with murder, Gray was convicted on federal insurance fraud charges. Her attorney successfully argued against another murder trial, citing her age at the time—55—and her likelihood of dying in prison. Despite these arguments, her clemency shocked prosecutors when Gray was included among the 1,499 individuals whose sentences Biden commuted, a decision celebrated by the White House as the largest clemency effort in modern U.S. history.  

“This doesn’t feel like a ‘rule of law’ moment for the Biden administration,” James Trusty, who prosecuted Gray, told The Washington Free Beacon. “It pisses me off, as you can imagine.”  

Gray’s suspected victims were all found shot dead in cars, including a longtime lover and her two ex-husbands. Prosecutors alleged she used her charm and influence, possibly fueled by voodoo practices, to manipulate her lovers into committing violent acts.  

“Like the black widow spider, she basically kills her mates – and in this particular case, she did it three times,” Douglas Gansler, Montgomery County State’s Attorney, told NBC’s Today Show in 2002.  

Clarence Goode, Gray’s lover before his death, was one of her alleged victims. His brother Lenron Goode expressed little surprise at the charges in 2002, referencing her ominous demeanor. “Sometimes you can sit in church and look at a person and see something else in them,” he said. “You can see the devil come out of Josephine.”  

Gray’s two husbands, Norman Stribbling and William Gray, were also found dead under suspicious circumstances. Investigators believed she persuaded Clarence Gray to murder William, only for Clarence himself to be found dead in his car later in 1996.  

The White House did not comment on why Gray was selected for clemency. In a statement about the initiative, Biden remarked, “America was built on the promise of possibility and second chances. I have the great privilege of extending mercy to people who have demonstrated remorse and rehabilitation, restoring opportunity for Americans to participate in daily life and contribute to their communities.  

“I will take more steps in the weeks ahead. My administration will continue reviewing clemency petitions to advance equal justice under the law.”