Texas to Execute Obviously Innocent Woman

Started by Blackleaf, April 07, 2022, 12:24:00 AM

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Blackleaf

Melissa Lucio, a woman with no prior record and no history of violence is scheduled to be executed by the state of Texas, for a murder that never happened. Her daughter died from injuries sustained after a fall down a flight of stairs while the family was moving furniture. Before the girl's body was even cold, the police took the grieving (and then pregnant) mother in for questioning. They interrogated her for hours, insisting she had killed her daughter, not letting up until they got the response they wanted. Astoundingly, she was declared guilty and sentenced to death. While in prison, she gave birth to twins, who were immediately ripped from her and put up for adoption. She's been waiting to be executed for 14 years now, and the date is coming up. Three weeks from now, on the 27th of April, the backwards state of Texas is planning to kill Melissa by lethal injection.

Since her sentencing, the DA who was in charge was found guilty in federal court of bribery and embezzlement. Surprise, surprise, he was corrupt. Despite this, nothing has been done about Melissa.

There's a petition to save her, which can be signed here: https://innocenceproject.org/petitions/stop-execution-of-innocent-melissa-lucio-texas/?p2asource=ip-facts-_02112022&fbclid=IwAR0dWiZoHezTIgCzWpDKrII3rRDakXMOidD8hq45ngS8GcvtEOTeiX8Q22E

Additionally, if you live in Texas, you can help put pressure on the DA and governor by calling their numbers.

District Attorney Luis V. Saenz: 956-300-3881

Governor Greg Abbot: 956-446-2866
"Oh, wearisome condition of humanity,
Born under one law, to another bound;
Vainly begot, and yet forbidden vanity,
Created sick, commanded to be sound."
--Fulke Greville--

Blackleaf

Just two days now. It's one thing seeing this kind of injustice happening in another country, but when it's in your own backyard, that's quite eye opening. I just don't get it. I know politicians see people as numbers, but why the hell wouldn't Greg Abbot do anything about this? Is he afraid to step on the DA's toes? It wasn't even Saenz's case. And speaking of, what does Saenz get out of this? The DA responsible for putting Melissa on death row is in prison. Letting her die doesn't make Saenz look "tough on crime." It makes him look like an inhuman asshole.
"Oh, wearisome condition of humanity,
Born under one law, to another bound;
Vainly begot, and yet forbidden vanity,
Created sick, commanded to be sound."
--Fulke Greville--

FreethinkingSceptic

Quote from: Blackleaf on April 07, 2022, 12:24:00 AMMelissa Lucio, a woman with no prior record and no history of violence is scheduled to be executed by the state of Texas, for a murder that never happened. Her daughter died from injuries sustained after a fall down a flight of stairs while the family was moving furniture. Before the girl's body was even cold, the police took the grieving (and then pregnant) mother in for questioning. They interrogated her for hours, insisting she had killed her daughter, not letting up until they got the response they wanted. Astoundingly, she was declared guilty and sentenced to death. While in prison, she gave birth to twins, who were immediately ripped from her and put up for adoption. She's been waiting to be executed for 14 years now, and the date is coming up. Three weeks from now, on the 27th of April, the backwards state of Texas is planning to kill Melissa by lethal injection.

Since her sentencing, the DA who was in charge was found guilty in federal court of bribery and embezzlement. Surprise, surprise, he was corrupt. Despite this, nothing has been done about Melissa.

There's a petition to save her, which can be signed here: https://innocenceproject.org/petitions/stop-execution-of-innocent-melissa-lucio-texas/?p2asource=ip-facts-_02112022&fbclid=IwAR0dWiZoHezTIgCzWpDKrII3rRDakXMOidD8hq45ngS8GcvtEOTeiX8Q22E

Additionally, if you live in Texas, you can help put pressure on the DA and governor by calling their numbers.

District Attorney Luis V. Saenz: 956-300-3881

Governor Greg Abbot: 956-446-2866
Okay, rather than as stated - this post is more than a little bit backward.

Mostly this is somehow being tied into a cut-and-paste propaganda narrative about it being "Texas" and therefore having something to do with wanting to interfere with women's rights to have an abortion.

But other than that, you seem to have a blind assumption that the guilty conviction was wrong, but haven't offered much argument of proof other than that the DA was involved in a corruption scandal, or that it's "Texas" (so the conviction naturally must be wrong).

And no, this isn't an assumption of guilt until proven innocent, it's merely stating that the individual was tried and found guilty. (And if the whole "backward" tangent is just some faith-based opposition to the death penalty, Texas and the USA are far from the only states and countries with capital punishment. Is your opinion that Japan is "backward" because they have the death penalty on the books? Or that Austin, TX is "backward" simply because "Texas"? Just curious).

Blackleaf

#3
Quote from: FreethinkingSceptic on May 16, 2022, 11:36:37 PMOkay, rather than as stated - this post is more than a little bit backward.

Mostly this is somehow being tied into a cut-and-paste propaganda narrative about it being "Texas" and therefore having something to do with wanting to interfere with women's rights to have an abortion.



My guy, what the fuck does this have to do with abortion?

Quote from: FreethinkingSceptic on May 16, 2022, 11:36:37 PMBut other than that, you seem to have a blind assumption that the guilty conviction was wrong, but haven't offered much argument of proof other than that the DA was involved in a corruption scandal, or that it's "Texas" (so the conviction naturally must be wrong).

And no, this isn't an assumption of guilt until proven innocent, it's merely stating that the individual was tried and found guilty. (And if the whole "backward" tangent is just some faith-based opposition to the death penalty, Texas and the USA are far from the only states and countries with capital punishment. Is your opinion that Japan is "backward" because they have the death penalty on the books? Or that Austin, TX is "backward" simply because "Texas"? Just curious).

First of all, get off your fucking high horse and stop trying to read my mind. You're not reading between the lines; you're reading a completely different book.

The point is that there WAS no evidence. A girl fell and unfortunately died. The police immediately decided the mother was guilty and interrogated her for hours and hours, insisting she was guilty until she gave something resembling a "confession." It's been well documented for decades that extended interrogations yield false confessions, because they wear down the person, exhausting them and making them even question their own memories, yet police continue to do it anyway. An "expert on body language" also claimed that her avoiding eye contact was a sign of guilt. More weak evidence, based on subjective interpretation. Definitely not enough to meet the standard of reasonable doubt, and sure as hell not enough to put someone on death row. Especially considering the woman's lack of criminal history. Many of the jurors have since come forward and said they changed their minds, because the courts withheld important information from them.

Texas is backward for many reasons. As a resident of Houston, I should know. But of those reasons pertaining to this topic, Texas is one of the most fervent users of the death penalty. This is a problem with the American justice system in general, but once you're ruled to be guilty, no amount of new evidence can overturn it. You're supposed to be able to appeal your case, but rarely is an appeal given consideration. The DA doesn't want to admit they put an innocent person behind bars. Hell, he might have knowingly withheld evidence, just so he could have another point on the scoreboard. To a DA, a death penalty is like a badge of honor. Makes you look "tough on crime." Who cares if they were guilty?

It would be one thing if we knew the person was guilty, or at least had a strong case for their guilt, but America (particularly the South) has a long history of putting innocent people to death based on flimsy evidence. It's barbaric, and it should have ended centuries ago, but Republicans are a death cult, and won't let us bury the practice.
"Oh, wearisome condition of humanity,
Born under one law, to another bound;
Vainly begot, and yet forbidden vanity,
Created sick, commanded to be sound."
--Fulke Greville--

FreethinkingSceptic

#4
Quote from: Blackleaf on May 17, 2022, 01:44:51 AM

My guy, what the fuck does this have to do with abortion?

First of all, get off your fucking high horse and stop trying to read my mind. You're not reading between the lines; you're reading a completely different book.

The point is that there WAS no evidence. A girl fell and unfortunately died. The police immediately decided the mother was guilty and interrogated her for hours and hours, insisting she was guilty until she gave something resembling a "confession." It's been well documented for decades that extended interrogations yield false confessions, because they wear down the person, exhausting them and making them even question their own memories, yet police continue to do it anyway. An "expert on body language" also claimed that her avoiding eye contact was a sign of guilt. More weak evidence, based on subjective interpretation. Definitely not enough to meet the standard of reasonable doubt, and sure as hell not enough to put someone on death row. Especially considering the woman's lack of criminal history. Many of the jurors have since come forward and said they changed their minds, because the courts withheld important information from them.

Texas is backward for many reasons. As a resident of Houston, I should know. But of those reasons pertaining to this topic, Texas is one of the most fervent users of the death penalty. This is a problem with the American justice system in general, but once you're ruled to be guilty, no amount of new evidence can overturn it. You're supposed to be able to appeal your case, but rarely is an appeal given consideration. The DA doesn't want to admit they put an innocent person behind bars. Hell, he might have knowingly withheld evidence, just so he could have another point on the scoreboard. To a DA, a death penalty is like a badge of honor. Makes you look "tough on crime." Who cares if they were guilty?

It would be one thing if we knew the person was guilty, or at least had a strong case for their guilt, but America (particularly the South) has a long history of putting innocent people to death based on flimsy evidence. It's barbaric, and it should have ended centuries ago, but Republicans are a death cult, and won't let us bury the practice.
Okay, so you're saying that there was no evidence other than a (possibly-forced confession). I'd be fine with the death penalty being removed, but it's beside the point.

Normally the suspect can plead guilty for a reduced sentence which would take the death penalty off the table, but this is a case of them pleading not guilty and being convicted, so I'm curious if there was any additional evidence.