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Melissa Lucio Death Penalty Case

irishtexan

By irishtexan
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irishtexan

irishtexan 11519

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Searched for this and didn't see any mention of "Melissa Lucio" anywhere on this site. First hispanic woman set to be executed in the State of Texas. She's accused of killing her 2 year old daughter. From the Vice article below:

Quote

Lucio was convicted of beating her daughter Mariah to death and became one of six women on Texas’ death row shortly after. During her trial, the prosecution claimed that the deceased toddler had bruises, bite marks, and other injuries on her body, and a medical examiner testified that she died from a blow to head. Prosecutors also said Lucio had a history of drug abuse and had lost custody of some of her 14 children. 

Thousands of pages of Child Protective Services records, however, show that none of Lucio’s children ever said she was violent with them, and the prosecution presented no physical evidence showing that Lucio ever abused Mariah or any of her children. Lucio’s defense also argued that the 2-year-old’s death was likely caused by a fall down the stairs.

One of the detectives on the case named Victor Escalon Jr., used Lucio’s slumped posture and lack of eye contact during questioning and testified that, “Right there and then, I knew she did something.” Then came hours of aggressive interrogation which finally ended at 3 a.m. in a confession: “I don’t know what you want me to say. I’m responsible for it.”

Lucio’s legal team now argues that she was coerced into making a false confession, especially as a survivor of lifelong abuse. She wouldn’t be alone, according to the National Registry of Exonerations. Nearly one in three exonerated women were wrongly convicted of harming children or other loved ones in their care and nearly 70% were wrongfully convicted of crimes that never took place at all—events that were accidents, deaths by suicide, and fabricated. 

https://www.vice.com/en/article/93b7w3/texas-melissa-lucio-on-death-row-prosecutor?utm_source=vicenewstwitter

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/texas-prosecutor-pushes-back-pleas-stop-execution-melissa-lucio-rcna24217

Can't definitely say that she didn't do it, but it sure seems like she got railroaded. Coerced confession at 3am after hours of interrogation immediately after the death of her daughter. Insinuation that she beat her kids but all her kids say it's not true. Evidence that the child's injuries were sustained by falling down the stairs, but said evidence was never submitted. Five jurors now publicly question the conviction.

Now the DA that requested the death penalty is saying he will try to stop the execution. 

Seems like there's enough to at least stay her execution. But Texas maybe gonna Texas? 

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52-80

52-80 19154

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Obviously the case is more complex than what vice writes in 3 paragraphs. But still…what in the fuck is this all about:

 

Quote

Prosecutors also said Lucio had a history of drug abuse and had lost custody of some of her 14 children

 

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Captainant

Captainant 27661

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1 hour ago, irishtexan said:

Can't definitely say that she didn't do it, but it sure seems like she got railroaded. Coerced confession at 3am after hours of interrogation immediately after the death of her daughter. Insinuation that she beat her kids but all her kids say it's not true. Evidence that the child's injuries were sustained by falling down the stairs, but said evidence was never submitted. Five jurors now publicly question the conviction.

Now the DA that requested the death penalty is saying he will try to stop the execution. 

Seems like there's enough to at least stay her execution. But Texas maybe gonna Texas? 

Any potential Brady violation should be sufficient to postpone the only non-appealable sentence until addressed. They can always kill her tomorrow, but they certainly can't bring her back.

That said, my money is on "Texas gonna Texas"

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F250

F250 28772

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1 hour ago, Captainant said:

They can always kill her tomorrow, but they certainly can't bring her back.

Here in Texas when it comes to these things Texas prefers the Bill the Butcher method.

They might be innocent? Too late.

gangs-of-new-york-daniel-day-lewis.gif

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billfromlaketravis

billfromlaketravis 11467

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I listened to the Wrongful Conviction podcast episode on Lucio. It’s horribly biased. Imagine one hour of The Innocence Project droning on about how there is no way their client could have committed this crime. That said, it entertaining and well researched. Prosecutors and judges obviously have their reasons not to tell their sides of the story. But still, they could work in an impartial third party like a local reporter or something. 
 

If Lucio requests an attorney right away, I think she pleas to something like endangering a child or at worst manslaughter. Either way, she’d be out by now instead of facing the needle. 
 

I feel sorry for Mariah Lucio. It sounded like an awful place to grow up and she had a foot deformity that every single parent with insurance would have had surgically repaired. Her mother should applied for government assistance. 
 

I think Lucio is guilty first of being a shitty mother. CPS pulled the kids out of the home several times before Mariah’s passing. They all should been placed in foster care. 
 

I don’t know what a good outcome is here. Lucio’s kids are all grown now, so they’re not in danger. Thank goodness. I don’t think either side would be mad at life with the possibility of parole. 
 

 

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StruggleBus

StruggleBus 3922

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7 hours ago, Js1 said:

20 Texas state senators urging Abbott to pardon.    Bipartisan list on that letter too.   This is Texas, so kind of a big deal when you get both groups on the same page. 

Goes to show there are morons on both sides.

Edited by StruggleBus
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Paul Wesley

Paul Wesley 3278

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19 hours ago, billfromlaketravis said:

I listened to the Wrongful Conviction podcast episode on Lucio. It’s horribly biased. Imagine one hour of The Innocence Project droning on about how there is no way their client could have committed this crime. That said, it entertaining and well researched. 

There’s a documentary as well - can’t remember if it’s Netflix or Amazon prime.  It’s good… could definitely have used a timeline and a map of the locations in question to give a framework for the narrative (the “where” and “when” of the child’s injuries are kind of crucial to her guilt or innocence).  
 

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Nicole44

Nicole44 22059

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I am not pro-death penalty (who cares wtf I think.) I look at say Karla Faye Tucker and I am like...this is completely a different case. I don't think that there is enough here to say BRD that she did what she did. It is also a victim case where the victim is a family member and family members would be the ultimate ones that suffer from the DP. 

Not CR, but Abott did give Bart Whitaker, one of the biggest pieces of shit (total sociopath or whatever the fuck you want to call him) on the planet had his sentence commuted because his father pleaded for that. His father along with his wife and younger son (Bart was also shot--via a friend who he hired to do it) were all shot. The younger brother and mother were killed and the father survived. It was in Sugarland and honestly, if our Governor could do that since the victims were all his dad's family members and his son the perp...I don't see why not. 

For those not read in on the case I am referring to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Bartlett_Whitaker

 

It would show, imo, huge bias there. Do i think the defendant here is a good person, not really. But if a white father can get his white son's DP sentence commuted I see no reason why this one should not be either. This is not Karla Faye Tucker. Having said that...she could also be a monumental pos. But the victims here are her family

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MrBig

MrBig 5398

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7 minutes ago, Nicole44 said:

I am not pro-death penalty (who cares wtf I think.) I look at say Karla Faye Tucker and I am like...this is completely a different case. I don't think that there is enough here to say BRD that she did what she did. It is also a victim case where the victim is a family member and family members would be the ultimate ones that suffer from the DP. 

Not CR, but Abott did give Bart Whitaker, one of the biggest pieces of shit (total sociopath or whatever the fuck you want to call him) on the planet had his sentence commuted because his father pleaded for that. His father along with his wife and younger son (Bart was also shot--via a friend who he hired to do it) were all shot. The younger brother and mother were killed and the father survived. It was in Sugarland and honestly, if our Governor could do that since the victims were all his dad's family members and his son the perp...I don't see why not. 

For those not read in on the case I am referring to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Bartlett_Whitaker

 

It would show, imo, huge bias there. Do i think the defendant here is a good person, not really. But if a white father can get his white son's DP sentence commuted I see no reason why this one should not be either. This is not Karla Faye Tucker. Having said that...she could also be a monumental pos. But the victims here are her family

Do you think Cameron Todd Willingham would have had a chance if Abbott was governor instead of Rick Perry?

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Nicole44

Nicole44 22059

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1 minute ago, MrBig said:

Do you think Cameron Todd Willingham would have had a chance if Abbott was governor instead of Rick Perry?

I can't say in that hypothetical situation. I have no idea what would have happened (I can make a guess) I just feel like having read the facts on the record of Melissa's particular case...why was Bart Whitaker spared? Dude was a walking sociopath and you can see it in his interviews to this day. His dad didn't want him to die as he, his wife and younger son were the victims. . Abott spared him for no reason other than his dad wanted it that way. I think you could make a case for all people accused of killing their family members that Abott can't play favorites there. Tweeted as such. Doubt my tweet goes anywhere though I did hashtag it. 

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GringoSalado

GringoSalado 1651

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1 hour ago, MrBig said:

The trial was around 2007-2008. The DA Armando Villalobos was seeking re-election and went hard for Capital Murder charges. He won re-election but was convicted of federal corruption charges in 2014. 

Because of course he was jfc

https://myrgv.com/featured/2020/12/22/former-da-villalobos-transferred-to-re-entry-center/#:~:text=Former Cameron County District Attorney,to community confinement on Dec.

Quote

On Feb. 11, 2014, Villalobos was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison for his role in a bribery and extortion scheme.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, jurors in Villalobos’ trial found that he solicited and accepted over $100,000 in bribes and kickbacks in the form of cash and campaign contributions in return for favorable acts of prosecutorial discretion.

 

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Fudge Nuggets

Fudge Nuggets 19190

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5 hours ago, GringoSalado said:

Because of course he was jfc

https://myrgv.com/featured/2020/12/22/former-da-villalobos-transferred-to-re-entry-center/#:~:text=Former Cameron County District Attorney,to community confinement on Dec.

 

If I’m going to risk 13 years in prison, it’s going to be for a hell of a lot more than $100k.

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fattyflattie

fattyflattie 4639

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11 hours ago, Nicole44 said:

I can't say in that hypothetical situation. I have no idea what would have happened (I can make a guess) I just feel like having read the facts on the record of Melissa's particular case...why was Bart Whitaker spared? Dude was a walking sociopath and you can see it in his interviews to this day. His dad didn't want him to die as he, his wife and younger son were the victims. . Abott spared him for no reason other than his dad wanted it that way. I think you could make a case for all people accused of killing their family members that Abott can't play favorites there. Tweeted as such. Doubt my tweet goes anywhere though I did hashtag it. 

Friend of mine dated the shooter in high school.  

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HRSchenker

HRSchenker 2268

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18 hours ago, MrBig said:

The trial was around 2007-2008. The DA Armando Villalobos was seeking re-election and went hard for Capital Murder charges. He won re-election but was convicted of federal corruption charges in 2014. 

Although this wasn't a murder case, reminds me of shithead in Durham 

 

1182982261_nifonghearing-640x480.jpg

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shadow_operative2.0

shadow_operative2.0 15974

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Melissa Lucio, the Texas woman sentenced to die this week, has been granted a stay of execution after a new court ruling on Monday. 

Lucio was scheduled to be executed Wednesday for murdering her 2-year-old daughter, Mariah, in 2007. Lucio was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death in 2008.

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals sent the case back to a trial court to review claims of Lucio’s innocence, meaning Lucio will not be executed this week. 

“I am grateful the court has given me the chance to live and prove my innocence,” Lucio said in statement to the Innocence Project. “Mariah is in my heart today and always. I am grateful to have more days to be a mother to my children and a grandmother to my grandchildren. I will use my time to help bring them to Christ. I am deeply grateful to everyone who prayed for me and spoke out on my behalf.”

Edited by shadow_operative2.0
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cattail

cattail 112

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I am not pro-death penalty (who cares wtf I think.) I look at say Karla Faye Tucker and I am like...this is completely a different case. I don't think that there is enough here to say BRD that she did what she did. It is also a victim case where the victim is a family member and family members would be the ultimate ones that suffer from the DP. 
Not CR, but Abott did give Bart Whitaker, one of the biggest pieces of shit (total sociopath or whatever the fuck you want to call him) on the planet had his sentence commuted because his father pleaded for that. His father along with his wife and younger son (Bart was also shot--via a friend who he hired to do it) were all shot. The younger brother and mother were killed and the father survived. It was in Sugarland and honestly, if our Governor could do that since the victims were all his dad's family members and his son the perp...I don't see why not. 
For those not read in on the case I am referring to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Bartlett_Whitaker
 
It would show, imo, huge bias there. Do i think the defendant here is a good person, not really. But if a white father can get his white son's DP sentence commuted I see no reason why this one should not be either. This is not Karla Faye Tucker. Having said that...she could also be a monumental pos. But the victims here are her family

Agreed. Bart was a good friend of mine in high school. True sociopath who had no business getting his sentence commuted. Seems to be, money and the good skin can get you out of things.
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Captainant

Captainant 27661

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4 hours ago, Harrison Bergeron said:

She killed her daughter. I oppose the death penalty. We need to stop letting Kim Kardashian run our justice system.

  Reveal hidden contents

For those that love playing the Race Card, if she was a white guy she'd not be in the news.

 

This is a pretty fucked up take, even for surly. As mentioned in the OP, there are unresolved potential Brady violations in this case in addition to some pretty suspect circumstances around her "admission of guilt".

I'm not real hot on issuing non-appealable punishments when there are very valid questions as to her adjudication of guilt.

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Foosters

Foosters 17856

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5 hours ago, Harrison Bergeron said:

She killed her daughter. I oppose the death penalty. We need to stop letting Kim Kardashian run our justice system.

  Reveal hidden contents

For those that love playing the Race Card, if she was a white guy she'd not be in the news.

 

You realize this is you playing the race card?

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Harrison Bergeron

Harrison Bergeron 1798

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55 minutes ago, Captainant said:

This is a pretty fucked up take, even for surly. As mentioned in the OP, there are unresolved potential Brady violations in this case in addition to some pretty suspect circumstances around her "admission of guilt".

I'm not real hot on issuing non-appealable punishments when there are very valid questions as to her adjudication of guilt.

Thanks Slippin' Jimmy.

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irishtexan

irishtexan 11519

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11 hours ago, Harrison Bergeron said:

https://www.yourtango.com/news/melissa-lucios-daughter-claims-mom-guilty-abused-mariah-her-death

One kid saying she saw her mom pinch her sister and intentionally exclude the sister is not enough to overcome all the other questionable bullshit associated with this case to create a firm foundation for "beyond a reasonable doubt". There's still a fuckton of reasonable doubt here. But since you're a "white men have it hard these days and brown people have it easy" guy I know I'm not going to convince you otherwise. 

Anyway, glad her execution was stayed. 

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ocugolf

ocugolf 1214

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On 4/14/2022 at 10:25 PM, Nicole44 said:

I am not pro-death penalty (who cares wtf I think.) I look at say Karla Faye Tucker and I am like...this is completely a different case. I don't think that there is enough here to say BRD that she did what she did. It is also a victim case where the victim is a family member and family members would be the ultimate ones that suffer from the DP. 

Not CR, but Abott did give Bart Whitaker, one of the biggest pieces of shit (total sociopath or whatever the fuck you want to call him) on the planet had his sentence commuted because his father pleaded for that. His father along with his wife and younger son (Bart was also shot--via a friend who he hired to do it) were all shot. The younger brother and mother were killed and the father survived. It was in Sugarland and honestly, if our Governor could do that since the victims were all his dad's family members and his son the perp...I don't see why not. 

For those not read in on the case I am referring to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Bartlett_Whitaker

 

It would show, imo, huge bias there. Do i think the defendant here is a good person, not really. But if a white father can get his white son's DP sentence commuted I see no reason why this one should not be either. This is not Karla Faye Tucker. Having said that...she could also be a monumental pos. But the victims here are her family

If a true sociopath walks the earth, I am convinced it is Bart Whitaker. Not to go cloak room, but if his name was Ja'Thomas Whitaker and the facts were the exact same, he would be in the grave right now.

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