Melissa Lucio, sentenced to death for the murder of her daughter Mariah in 2007, was to be executed on Wednesday April 27. A Texas appeals court finally decided to suspend the procedure.
A news received in tears
L’execution of Melissa Lucio, an American mother sentenced to death for the murder of her daughter Mariah in 2017, has been suspended. A Texas Court of Appeals UNITED STATES announced the decision on Monday, April 25, two days ahead of schedule. “This is a first step towards obtaining a new trial, but it does not mean that a new trial has been granted”, several steps still to be taken, said Vanessa Potkin, the American’s lawyer, at a press conference. The mother who has maintained her innocence for 15 years said she was grateful to the court for giving her the chance to live and prove her innocence. She “cried and was speechless” on hearing the news, confided his lawyers on the remarks taken up by Le Figaro.
Waiting for a new decision
Calls for clemency have recently multiplied in favor of Melissa Lucio. Kim Kardashian, one of the personalities who called for the suspension of her execution welcomed the decision of the Court of Appeal. “Best news ever!!!”, tweeted the reality star. According to the defense of the mother of the family, new scientific evidence exculpates him, and that she was convicted following false testimony. Still, the requests of his lawyers must still be examined by another court in Texas. Pending a new decision, she remains on death row for the time being. Melissa’s supporters continue to argue that her daughter’s death was accidental, not criminal.
Call for reflection
The execution of women very rarely occurs in UNITED STATES. Since 1976, when capital punishment was reinstated, only 17 have been. In Texas, the state that executes the most, Melissa Lucio was reportedly the first Hispanic woman to be executed in that state. “The example of the mobilization in Texas, in the United States and in the world in favor of Melissa Lucio must serve to reflect on the death penalty in general, for all those who are not saved”reacted Raphaël Chenuil-Hazan, executive director of the French association Together against the death penalty.
Read all the news in the United States
–
