HOUSTON, Texas – Melissa Lucio, a Texas woman who has spent 16 years on death row, is one step closer to freedom after a judge ruled that she is “actually innocent” in the death of her 2-year-old daughter, Mariah. Lucio’s conviction, which led to her death sentence in 2008, has been called into question by new evidence and testimony.
In a landmark ruling issued on October 16, 2024, Senior State District Judge Arturo Nelson recommended that Lucio’s conviction be overturned, citing significant prosecutorial misconduct. The judge found that crucial evidence, including statements from Lucio’s other children, was suppressed during her trial, evidence that could have supported her claim that her daughter’s death was the result of an accidental fall rather than abuse.
Lucio’s family, who had feared she would be executed, expressed relief and hope for her imminent release. “This is the best news we could get going into the holidays,” said Lucio’s son, John, and daughter-in-law, Michelle, in a statement. They, along with Lucio’s other children, pray that their mother will soon be reunited with them.
Lucio has maintained her innocence for over a decade, and the judge’s ruling reinforces this stance. In his decision, Judge Nelson wrote, “There is clear and convincing evidence that no rational juror could convict [Lucio] of capital murder or any lesser included offense.”
The case has garnered national attention, particularly after the 2020 documentary “The State of Texas vs. Melissa” brought Lucio’s plight to the forefront. The film highlighted the flaws in her trial and the subsequent public outcry, which included support from public figures such as Kim Kardashian and Sister Helen Prejean. These efforts led to a stay of execution in 2022, just two days before Lucio was scheduled to be put to death.
Vanessa Potkin, an attorney with the Innocence Project, which represents Lucio, said in a statement, “Melissa Lucio lived every parent’s nightmare when she lost her daughter after a tragic accident. It became a nightmare from which she couldn’t wake up when she was sent to death row for a crime that never happened.”
Lucio’s case is now under review by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, which will determine whether the recommendation to overturn her conviction will be upheld. If the decision stands, Lucio could be freed after years of fighting for justice.