Melissa Lucios personal life remained in the dark for many years until the death of her daughter and she was sentenced to jail. In 2007, Lucio's daughter Mariah passed away after sustaining injuries during a fall down a flight of stairs. "You know, it's my mom. Opinion is divided on her guilt, though - many of her living children have backed up her claim of innocence, and five of the jurors who convicted her have since expressed misgivings over the verdict. Instead, Potkin says, the blood coagulation seen in Mariah's autopsy was the result of an accidental head injury, like a fall down stairs. Melissa Lucio, the South Texas mother of 14 who was days from her execution date, has been granted a stay from the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. One of Mariah's other siblings witnessed the fall and later, when interviewed by Child Protective Services after Mariah's death, stated that he saw his sibling fall down the stairs.". More on The Lone Star Plate www.lonestarplate.showSabrina . Over the years, it has routinely allowed executions to go forward even in cases where there were serious questions about a defendants guilt. According to the Innocence Project, it was an abusive marriage. Who Are Melissa Lucio Kids? After years of unsuccessful appeals, Melissa Lucio, a Rio Grande Valley woman convicted of killing her 2-year-old daughter, has learned the date of her execution April 27. ", Bobby was seven when Mariah died. The woman, Melissa Lucio, a mother of 14, was found guilty back in 2008 in the death of her 2-year-old daughter, Mariah. Lawyers hope new evidence can stop Texas woman Melissa Lucio's execution. At the time of the abuse, she was merely 6 years old and could not do anything, but the conditions remained the same for at least two years. Mariahs father, Roberto Antonio Alvarez was also arrested in relation to her death but he was only convicted of endangering a child and sentenced to four years in prison. And that's what we're hoping for.". Melissa's execution date is set for April 27, 2022. They hope to persuade the state's Board of Pardons and Paroles and Gov. According to NPR, Lucio is an abuse survivor and was sexually assaulted multiple times starting at the age of six, and was then physically . Melissa Elizabeth Lucio is the talk of the town after being the first woman of Hispanic descent in Texas to be sentenced to death. But the trial judge ruled that testimony "irrelevant," according to court documents. Tivon Schardl, supervisory assistant federal public defender in the Capital Habeas Unit in Austin, and part of Lucio's current defense team, said the jurors were not given the full picture: "There's been just a concerted effort to keep this evidence from being considered.". Please give us a chance for peace. ", Another of Lucio's children, Bobby Alvarez, carries the words of his mom tattooed on his chest: "I'll always be with you, and here I'll always stay." At this time, it remains unclear if Lucio's execution will be overturned. "They badgered, berated and yelled at her until she finally agreed to their demands and insistence that she was guilty of harming her child," said Ms Babcock, who argues that there was a "rush" to judge her guilty. State Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, and other members of the Texas House Criminal Justice Reform Caucus ask state officials to halt the execution of . Toon wondered why Lucios story wasnt getting as much attention as the cases of some of the men on Texass death row. "Do it real hard," he said. Villalobos could not be reached for comment. At times, they were homeless and relied on food banks for meals, according to a clemency petition issued by her lawyers. In 2014, Villalobos was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison for racketeering and extortion. Despite receiving the death penalty, she was described by campaign organisations as a "loving and caring mother," who tried her best to provide financially for her family. According to the state, Lucio, then a mother of 12 who struggled with drug addiction, had beaten her toddler to death in February 2007. April 28, 2022 5:23 PM EDT. Lucio is over 77 kgs or 170 lbs .The native of texas uses drugs very often and has been tested for cocaine earlier in her criminal offence. The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles Clemency Office declined to comment, and Abbott didn't return a request for comment. It came as it was revealed that Lucio and her children struggled through poverty. After reviewing her claims and the evidence, the court would then make a recommendation to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, which would ultimately decide whether Lucio gets a new trial. The legal team also addressed lingering questions about whether Saenz would even be eligible to retry Lucio. Lucio's supporters say many of the issues in her trial trace back to the head prosecutor in the case, Armando Villalobos. She was convicted 14 years ago of murdering her 2-year-old . Were confident that with the new evidence of innocence, if Melissa was retried today that she would be acquitted, Innocence Project attorney Vanessa Potkin told reporters on Monday afternoon. View our online Press Pack. At times, they were homeless and relied on food banks for meals, according to the petition. Please allow us to reconcile with Mariah's death and remember her without fresh pain, anguish, and grief. "It was an accident," he said. Yes, the ruling by the appeals court does nothing to modify Lucios sentence. That is wonderful. Research says Mariah was physically abused, and people like Ms. Lucio often agree to conditions they never condemned while under tremendous pressure from the majority of people. "We ask you not to tear those wounds open again. The conservative Republican from North Texas became an unlikely ally of the condemned mother from the Rio Grande Valley. The latest bid to spare Melissa Lucio's life comes 14 years after she was sentenced to death in a capital murder case involving the youngest of her dozen children at the time. "When all of this happened, our family split up," he said. "That is what I cherish the most. ", Speaking to CBS Mornings he said: 'If they go through with it, they'll be killing an innocent woman.. On 27 April, Melissa Lucio was supposed to die. At the time of his mother's arrest, John was 17 years old. She is the mother of 14 children, including Mariah. After the death of her two-year-old daughter, Mariah, the court charged her with capital murder. Lucio has always maintained her innocence. ", First published on April 11, 2022 / 11:29 AM. That decision will ultimately turn on another motion filed by Lucios lawyers, seeking the recusal of Cameron County District Court Judge Gabriela Garcia, whose court administrator was also part of Lucios legal team. And she did, saying she spanked the child, but never admitting to the use of deadly force. CNN . But Lucio had no history of child abuse. VideoAt the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, Covid origin likely China lab incident - FBI chief, Blackpink lead top stars back on the road in Asia, Exploring the rigging claims in Nigeria's elections, 'Wales is in England' gaffe sparks TikToker's trip, Ukraine war casts shadow over India's G20 ambitions, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. She prodded Luna, then her roommate, to watch the movie. "While there is great optimism in some regards because of the support and because it seems to be resonating with so many people, that she has a compelling claim of innocence and just the injustice that would happen if this execution goes forward," Potkin said on Wednesday. She was set to be executed on April 27, 2022, butwas granted a stay of execution two days priorby the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Selina, the fifth of Lucio's 14 children, initially came forward on TikTok back in 2021 after the release of "The State Of Texas vs. Melissa," a documentary on Hulu that covers the case and . Her attorneys are calling for a stay of her execution so her case may be reviewed. At the time, the family lived in a small two-bedroom, second-floor flat. Child Protection Services records show Lucio was neglectful, but not violent against any of her children. Specifically, the question is whether false testimony, faulty forensic practices, and hidden evidence tainted her conviction. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. However, she has maintained her innocence ever since. Melissa Lucio is a convicted criminal who had killed her own 2-year-old daughter as per a report by Murderpedia. She should never have the opportunity to abuse another child again. "I am not here to shout," he said. This is terrifying it should be terrifying for everybody.. Published Ms Lucio was taken in for questioning and was interrogated for almost five hours while she was pregnant and going through the shock of losing her young child, Mariah. Melissa Lucio was the epitome of every system in the state of Texas failing at every level: education, health, faith community, she said. Potkin says Lucio had inadequate defense during her trial. 2023 Cable News Network. Lucio's children previously wrote a letter to the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, pleadingGov. They implored him to step up and withdraw it. It was Lucios son John, calling to say that the court had intervened. In 2020, a documentary about the case history of Melissa Lucio was directed by Sabrina Van Tassel titled The State of Texas vs. Melissa. More than a quarter of people exonerated by the Innocence Project in recent decades had confessed to the crime they allegedly committed, as Science reported. DeSantis won't say he's running. Among the suppressed evidence, her attorneys say, are indications police and prosecutors knew other family members were aware of Mariahs fall down the stairs and that no one had described the abuse Mariah allegedly suffered. In an interview with the Texas Observer, Tivon Schardl, a lawyer on Lucio's appellate defense team, called her case "as clear a . . Among them is one of her sons, John Lucio. Her attorneys are seeking either a lesser charge, to remove Lucio from death row or a . "She is not guilty of the death of my baby sister.". The state of Texas has scheduled the execution of the case of Melissa Lucio for the 27th of April. Lucio endured more than five hours of interrogation in which she denied killing Mariah, said Vanessa Potkin, director of special litigation at The Innocence Project. Her life was worth nothing to them. Lucio later had nine more children with her next husband, who was also found to be abusive towards her. "Melissa didn't observe the fall herself. Among those calling for a stay of execution are a bipartisan group of 103 members of the Texas legislature - including 32 Republican . Well, it means youre going to wake up on Thursday morning, Leach replied. Or sleeping well. Lucio's supporters say many of the issues in her trial trace back to the head prosecutor in the case, Armando Villalobos. ? she exclaimed through tears. Are you serious!? Mariah is in my heart today and always. Lucio, the only Latina on death row, was . But as new details have emerged about her case, a growing chorus of lawmakers, faith leaders, anti-domestic violence organizations and celebrities has called for clemency. Mariah, on being examined, was found to be in a fetal condition with various stages of bruising and injuries on her head, and contusions of the kidneys, lungs, and spinal cord. April 25, 2022 by John Atsu. "It's very common to be mistaken for abuse if you don't look for the signs.". Please allow us to reconcile with Mariah's death and remember her without fresh pain, anguish, and grief. Melissa later told police that when she realised that Mariah was no longer inside the unit, she left to look for her and found her crying by the staircase, with a bit of blood on her lower teeth. hide caption. If the execution goes ahead, she would be the first Latina to be executed in the state of Texas. And relied on food banks for meals, according to court documents a flight stairs. 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