Attina Marie Cannaday was born on September 8, 1965, in Mobile, Alabama. She grew up in a challenging environment. Her mother worked as a stripper, and Cannaday faced serious issues during her childhood. One of the most troubling parts of her early life was that she was sexually abused by her father.

At a very young age, Cannaday married when she was only thirteen. This marriage did not last long, as she got divorced just a year later, at the age of fourteen. This divorce allowed her to leave her home and gain some independence. After her marriage, she began working as a sex worker and dancer. Cannaday was later described as having a low IQ of 71, which classified her as handicapped. 

In 1982, Attina Marie Cannaday, along with two others, kidnapped Sergeant Ronald Wojcik and his girlfriend, Sandra Sowash. They forced the couple into Wojcik's van and drove a short distance. At one point, Cannaday suggested that one of her accomplices, David Gray, should rape Sowash. The car was eventually stopped near a wooded area where Sowash managed to escape and call for help. After the incident, Cannaday initially claimed that Gray was solely to blame for Wojcik's death but later admitted to her involvement while talking to a jailer.

Cannaday was charged with robbery, kidnapping, and homicide in Mississippi. Her trial began on September 20, 1982, and she was tried separately from Gray and another accomplice, Dawn Bushart. The jury found her guilty of murder on September 23, 1982, and sentenced her to death by lethal injection. After an appeal, the Mississippi Supreme Court upheld the guilty verdict but found the death sentence to be inappropriate due to several factors, including Cannaday's age and the statements she made while in jail.

In 1984, Cannaday was re-sentenced to one life sentence and two additional twenty-five-year life sentences. She spent time in the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility. Cannaday was granted parole and released on March 9, 2008. Her case was significant in discussions about juvenile sentencing and was noted for influencing the interpretation of cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment.