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Efforts underway to commute, delay mother's scheduled execution
There are growing calls on Texas Governor Greg Abbot to grant clemency to Melissa Lucio who faces execution later this month. A juror, Kim Kardashian, and a bipartisan group of lawmakers are among those pleading for Lucio’s life.
The 53-year-old domestic violence victim and mother of 14 has been on death row since her trial over the 2007 death of her two-year-old daughter.
Her lawyers argue she “falsely” admitted to killing Mariah after hours of intense police questioning and that she died from falling down a steep staircase outside their apartment in Harlingen, South Texas, and not from being beaten.
Lucio was worn down by her grief and being abused throughout her life during the aggressive interrogation and finally admitted to a crime she didn’t commit, her lawyers say.
On 18 October, the US Supreme Court denied a petition to hear Lucio’s case, paving the way for the state of Texas to set the date for her execution — to be carried out by lethal injection on 27 April.
Writing for The Independent, an expert in false confessions says Texas is executing an innocent woman in one of the most tragic cases they have seen in their career.
On Wednesday, seven Texas legislators visited Lucio in prison and prayed with her, pledging to save her from execution.
Recommended Why Kim Kardashian and others are rallying to stop the ‘tragic’ execution of Melissa Lucio in Texas Women on death row: How being a ‘bad mother, bad wife and bad woman’ became a death warrant I’m an expert in false confessions who looked at Melissa Lucio’s case. Texas is executing an innocent woman Juror who sentenced Melissa Lucio to death for daughter’s murder calls for retrial: ‘I was wrong’
Key Points Background to Melissa Lucio’s death sentence Juror calls for retrial of woman he sentenced to death for murder of her daughter Kim Kardashian posts ‘heartbreaking’ letter from Lucio’s children Bipartisan group of Texas lawmakers visit Lucio in prison
Show latest update 1649346021 Rally scheduled for tonight at Dallas City Hall
Victoria Neave Criado, a Texas Democrat representing parts of Dallas was another of the lawmakers who visited Lucio on Wednesday.
She tweeted: “Against the cold facade of Texas Death Row, #MelissaLucio sat with us, glowing & filled with hope, love for her family, & a profound faith that she will walk free one day. She stated that every day is a struggle, but it is through God’s Grace that she is here, and she will not stop fighting for justice. In that room, hand in hand with Melissa Lucio, we were not Republicans or Democrats, we are citizens of humanity inspired to urgent action to help prevent an irreversible injustice.
Ms Criado also flagged up a rally taking place at 6pm this evening at Dallas City Hall.
Oliver O'Connell 7 April 2022 16:40
1649344821 Kim Kardashian posts ‘heartbreaking’ letter from Lucio’s children
Kim Kardashian, who recently joined the campaign to grant clemency to Melissa Lucio, has posted a letter from Lucio’s children to Texas Governor Greg Abbott and the state pardons and parole board asking to spare the life of their mother.
She tweets: “So heartbreaking to read this letter from Melissa Lucio’s children begging for the state not to kill their mother. There are so many unresolved questions surrounding this case and the evidence that was used to convict her.”
Oliver O'Connell 7 April 2022 16:20
1649342781 Bipartisan group of Texas lawmakers visit Lucio in prison
A bipartisan group of Texas lawmakers visited Melissa Lucio on death row on Wednesday as they continue their efforts to halt her execution.
State representatives Jeff Leach, a Republican from Plano, and Joe Moody, a Democrat from El Paso, led a group of lawmakers to the Mountain View Unit in Gatesville, Texas, where the state houses women awaiting execution.
The visit comes as pressure builds to grant clemency over her execution as doubts remain regarding whether she did fatally beat her two-year-old daughter to death in 2007. Lucio has always maintained her innocence and her lawyers argue her daughter, Mariah, died from injuries sustained falling down a steep staircase in the days prior to her death.
Melissa Lucio faces execution on 27 April unless action is taken by the state’s parole board and Governor Greg Abbott.
Seven lawmakers toured the prison for about two hours before meeting privately with Lucio for about 40 minutes.
Mr Moody tweeted: “Today, I was led in prayer by #MelissaLucio. It was an incredibly powerful. We’ve asked @GovAbbott to spare her. We’ve asked the Board to spare her. But we know that DEMOCRAT @DALuisVSaenz has the immediate power to spare her. I pray he makes the right decision.”
Mr Leach said: “Justice matters. Mercy matters. She matters. We have three weeks to save the life of #MelissaLucio & we plan on doing everything we can between now and then to prevent this irreversible stain on the Lone Star State. I have great hope & invite you to join the fight.”
Oliver O'Connell 7 April 2022 15:46
1649336400 Where is the death penalty still used in America?
Twenty-seven states across America still have the death penalty.
They are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky. Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.
Nathan Place and Helen Elfer look at where and how often the death penalty is still used in the United States.
American death map: Which US states have capital punishment and who uses it the most? Many object to the inconsistency with which the US death penalty is applied across the country
Oliver O'Connell 7 April 2022 14:00
1649331000 Why end the death penalty in the US?
The Independent and the nonprofit Responsible Business Initiative for Justice (RBIJ) have launched a joint campaign calling for an end to the death penalty in the US. The RBIJ has attracted more than 150 well-known signatories to their Business Leaders Declaration Against the Death Penalty - with The Independent as the latest on the list. We join high-profile executives like Ariana Huffington, Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg, and Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson as part of this initiative and are making a pledge to highlight the injustices of the death penalty in our coverage.
Editorial: Why it is beyond time for the US to end the death penalty Editorial: The Independent is adding its voice to a campaign backed by Sheryl Sandberg and Sir Richard Branson
Oliver O'Connell 7 April 2022 12:30
1649325600 Voices: I’m an expert in false confessions. Texas is executing an innocent woman
Gisli H Gudjonsson writes that the Melissa Lucio case is one of the most tragic she has come across in her 40-year career.
I’m an expert on false confessions. Texas is about to execute an innocent woman This is one of the most tragic cases I’ve come across in my 40-year career
Oliver O'Connell 7 April 2022 11:00
1649320200 Breaking society’s expectations: Why some women end up on death row
Women are vastly outnumbered by men on death row across America. But experts say the small number who are sentenced to death usually break society’s expectations of a ‘good woman’. Melissa Lucio is one of them as Rachel Sharp explains.
How the ‘femme fatale’ stereotype is dooming women to death row in the US Women are vastly outnumbered by men on death row across America. But experts say the small number who are sentenced to death usually break society’s expectations of a ‘good woman’, Rachel Sharp reports
Oliver O'Connell 7 April 2022 09:30
1649314800 Why is Melissa Lucio on death row?
Melissa Lucio was sentenced to death in 2008 after she was convicted of killing her two-year-old child Mariah one year earlier.
In February 2007, Mariah died from injuries which prosecutors claimed were caused by Lucio abusing her daughter.
Lucio, now 53, has always maintained her innocence and said that her daughter’s injuries were caused by a fall down the stairs two days earlier while the family was moving home.
The mother of 14, who is the first and only Hispanic woman on death row in Texas, has spent the last 14 years awaiting execution for a crime she says she didn’t commit.
Rachel Sharp reports on the details of the case.
Mother on death row for daughter’s death asks for clemency as execution date looms Melissa Lucio was sentenced to death after being convicted of killing her two-year-old daughter Mariah
Oliver O'Connell 7 April 2022 08:00
1649309400 Why people are rallying to stop the execution of Melissa Lucio in Texas
Supporters ranging from Kim Kardashian to Texas Republicans calling for halt to execution, Josh Marcus explains why the case is attracting so much attention.
Kim Kardashian and others are rallying to stop ‘tragic’ execution of Melissa Lucio Supporters ranging from Kim Kardashian to Texas Republicans calling for halt to execution, Josh Marcus reports
Oliver O'Connell 7 April 2022 06:30
1649304060 Revisiting the Julius Jones case where execution was called off
In November 2021, Oklahoma governor Kevin Stitt called off the execution of Julius Jones, a Black death row inmate who has long maintained his innocence in the 1999 murder that put him behind bars. The announcement came just hours before Jones was set to die by lethal injection.
“After prayerful consideration and reviewing materials presented by all sides of this case, I have determined to commute Julius Jones’ sentence to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole,” Governor Stitt said in a statement.
The Jones family, as well as supporters of the large “Justice for Julius” movement, were at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in the town of McAlester when they learned the news, the culmination of a two-decade campaign to free Julius.
Josh Marcus reported on the case for The Independent.
Oklahoma governor stops Julius Jones execution with last-minute decision Jones will instead get a life sentence without the possibility of parole
Oliver O'Connell 7 April 2022 05:01
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