In a poignant documentary, Sabrina Van Tassel attempts to bring justice to a woman sentenced to death.
“If Melissa had had a fair trial, she wouldn’t be on death row,” says Sabrina Van Tassel. Four years ago, the Franco-American journalist prepared a report on women sentenced to death in the United States. Melissa Lucio, 53, found guilty by the State of Texas of the murder of her 2-year-old daughter Mariah, by force of abuse, is the one who attracts her the least. Except that after some research, Van Tassel is passionate about the story of this mother of 14 children, with addiction problems, living in extreme precariousness. Convinced of her innocence, she arms herself with her camera in order to save her.
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Where everyone saw her as a criminal, I saw a sacrificed woman
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Through the words of Melissa, her family, witnesses and experts, “The State of Texas against Melissa” exposes the flaws of a legal system where prosecutors have quotas and court-appointed lawyers have too few time for the defense of their clients. “Where everyone saw her as a criminal, I saw a sacrificed woman. Melissa was found guilty in 2008, sentence overturned eleven years later and finally reinstated. As of this writing, his execution is scheduled for April 27 at Huntsville Penitentiary. His lawyers requested a suspension of this decision in order to allow the opening of a new trial.
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“The State of Texas against Melissa”, April 5 at 10:35 p.m. on Canal+, then on Mycanal.
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