Melissa Lucio execution: White House won’t be drawn in on case as international pressure grows
Latest developments in Melissa Lucio case
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Your support makes all the difference.There are growing calls on Texas Governor Greg Abbot to grant clemency to Melissa Lucio who faces execution later this month. European nations, 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.
Worn down by her grief and abuse throughout her life, Lucio admitted to a crime she didn’t commit during the aggressive interrogation, 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.
Kim Kardashian shares ‘heartbreaking’ letter by Melissa Lucio’s children in bid to stop execution
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’
Texas lawmakers meet and pray with Lucio, pledging to help save her life
A bipartisan group of Texas lawmakers visited Melissa Lucio on death row as part of an effort to top her execution amid doubts about whether she fatally beat her two-year-old daughter.
State Representatives Jeff Leach, a Republican, and Joe Moody, a Democrat, led the group on Wednesday to the Mountain View Unit in Gatesville, Texas, where the state houses women on death row. Lucio faces execution on April 27.
“We are blessed to have the opportunity to meet with Melissa, to pray with her, to spend time with her and we’re more resolute and committed than ever to fighting over the next three weeks to save her life,” Mr Leach told The Associated Press in an interview after the meeting.
Texas lawmakers meet and pray with Melissa Lucio on death row as execution looms
‘We’re more resolute and committed than ever to fighting over the next three weeks to save her life’ says Rep Jeff Leach
Melissa Lucio’s son hopes for clemency as execution date nears
Melissa Lucio’s eldest son says his mother is not a monster, as he and the rest of the family fight for her life with the clock ticking down to her scheduled execution date.
They know they face an uphill battle fighting for clemency but have gained the support of members of the jury from her trial, nearly 90 Texas lawmakers, and reality star and death row campaigner Kim Kardashian.
“My main fight right now is to stop April 27 from arriving,” John Lucio told WFAA. “I go to sleep thinking about it. I wake up thinking about it.”
Melissa Lucio’s son hopes for clemency as execution date nears
‘I go to sleep thinking about it. I wake up thinking about it,’ says John Lucio as his mother’s execution nears
The Independent raises Melissa Lucio death penalty case before the White House
The White House said it had “nothing to predict” regarding the case of Melissa Lucia, a Texas woman on death row for allegedly murdering her two 2-year-old daughter, after The Independent asked whether President Joe Biden would consider asking Governor Greg Abbott to intervene.
Andrew Feinberg reports from The White House.
The Independent raises Melissa Lucio death penalty case before the White House
The White House said it had “nothing to predict” regarding the case of Melissa Lucia, a Texas woman on death row for allegedly murdering her two 2-year-old daughter, after The Independent asked whether President Joe Biden would consider asking Governor Greg Abbott to intervene.
Trial juror: ‘I was wrong'
One of the jurors who sentenced Melissa Lucio to death has written a newspaper editorial claiming he was misled and pressured during the mother’s trial for murdering her two-year-old daughter.
Johnny Galvan Jr wrote in The Houston Chronicle that he was wrong to succumb to “peer pressure” and change his vote from a life sentence to the death penalty, or they’d “be there all day” if he didn’t.
Justin Vallejo reports.
Juror calls for retrial of woman he sentenced to death for murder of her daughter
Melissa Lucio is scheduled for execution on April 27 for beating her daughter to death
Europe calls on Governor Abbott to grant Melissa Lucio clemency
The case for granting Melissa Lucio clemency, which had already been gaining traction with dozens of US lawmakers, jurors from her own trial and even reality star Kim Kardashian, is now attracting international pressure as the European Union has called on Texas Governor Greg Abbott to reverse his state’s death sentence of the woman.
Johanna Chisholm reports.
Europe calls on Texas governor to grant Melissa Lucio clemency as execution looms
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
Kim Kardashian shares ‘heartbreaking’ letter by Melissa Lucio’s children
Kim Kardashian has shared a letter from Melissa Lucio’s children, as calls are mounting for Lucio’s planned execution in Texas to be stopped.
“So heartbreaking to read this letter from Melissa Lucio’s children begging for the state not to kill their mother,” Kardashian tweeted on Thursday (7 April) along with the letter.
“There are so many unresolved questions surrounding this case and the evidence that was used to convict her.”
Kim Kardashian shares ‘heartbreaking’ letter in bid to stop Melissa Lucio’s execution
There have been growing calls to cancel or commute Lucio’s death sentence
Texas lawmakers meet and pray with Lucio, pledging to help save her life
A bipartisan group of Texas lawmakers visited Melissa Lucio on death row as part of an effort to top her execution amid doubts about whether she fatally beat her two-year-old daughter.
State Representatives Jeff Leach, a Republican, and Joe Moody, a Democrat, led the group on Wednesday to the Mountain View Unit in Gatesville, Texas, where the state houses women on death row. Lucio faces execution on April 27.
“We are blessed to have the opportunity to meet with Melissa, to pray with her, to spend time with her and we’re more resolute and committed than ever to fighting over the next three weeks to save her life,” Mr Leach told The Associated Press in an interview after the meeting.
Texas lawmakers meet and pray with Melissa Lucio on death row as execution looms
‘We’re more resolute and committed than ever to fighting over the next three weeks to save her life’ says Rep Jeff Leach
Melissa Lucio’s son hopes for clemency as execution date nears
Melissa Lucio’s eldest son says his mother is not a monster, as he and the rest of the family fight for her life with the clock ticking down to her scheduled execution date.
They know they face an uphill battle fighting for clemency but have gained the support of members of the jury from her trial, nearly 90 Texas lawmakers, and reality star and death row campaigner Kim Kardashian.
“My main fight right now is to stop April 27 from arriving,” John Lucio told WFAA. “I go to sleep thinking about it. I wake up thinking about it.”
Melissa Lucio’s son hopes for clemency as execution date nears
‘I go to sleep thinking about it. I wake up thinking about it,’ says John Lucio as his mother’s execution nears
The Independent raises Melissa Lucio death penalty case before the White House
The White House said it had “nothing to predict” regarding the case of Melissa Lucia, a Texas woman on death row for allegedly murdering her two 2-year-old daughter, after The Independent asked whether President Joe Biden would consider asking Governor Greg Abbott to intervene.
Andrew Feinberg reports from The White House.
The Independent raises Melissa Lucio death penalty case before the White House
Lucio could became first Latina executed in modern Texas history