Topline
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals issued a stay of execution Monday for Melissa Lucio, a woman convicted of murdering her 2-year-old daughter, who was scheduled to be put to death Wednesday, as the 138th Judicial District Court of Cameron County evaluates new evidence in the highly publicized case.
In this April 6, 2022 photo provided by Texas state Rep. Jeff Leach, Rep. Leach stands next to death … [+]
Key Facts
The court will consider new evidence submitted by Lucio’s lawyers, which they say shows the 2007 death of Lucio’s daughter Mariah was caused by an accidental fall down a staircase at their Texas home.
Crucial Quote
“Mariah is in my heart today and always,” Lucio said in a statement following the court’s stay order. “I am grateful to have more days to be a mother to my children and a grandmother to my grandchildren.”
Key Background
Lucio, a mother of 14, was convicted of the capital murder of her daughter in 2008 and sentenced to death shortly after. Her attorneys have argued police coerced her into a false confession of the crime, and that poor testimony from medical specialists contributed to the conviction. Lucio’s case has garnered national media attention, including a 2020 documentary titled State of Texas vs. Melissa that was later acquired by Hulu. Reality star Kim Kardashian spoke out against Lucio’s conviction, arguing on Twitter earlier this month that, “There are so many unresolved questions surrounding this case and the evidence that was used to convict her”—a caption above a letter addressed to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R.) from Lucio’s children, in which they pleaded for their mother’s life. Lucio would be the first Latina person executed by the state of Texas, and the first woman executed by the state since 2014.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/masonbissada/2022/04/25/texas-court-grants-stay-of-execution-for-melissa-lucio/