Melissa Lucio's family begs Texas leaders for mercy regarding execution
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Texas plans to execute a mother in April nearly 15 years after being convicted for the murder of her 2-year-old daughter.
Melissa Lucio's execution is scheduled for April 27. Gov. Greg Abbott could step in and delay the killing. He also could grant clemency if the majority of the state's Board of Pardons and Paroles votes to do so.
Melissa Lucio's oldest son, John Lucio, spoke about the case Friday. He begged Texans to pay attention to his mother's case, who he said is not guilty of capital murder.
"I don't want my mom to be executed. I don't want to lose her," said John Lucio. "I want you to know, Mother. I love you so much. I would anything I can for you."
In 2007, Prosecutors accused Melissa Lucio of beating her daughter, Mariah Lucio, to death. She said the child fell down a staircase days before paramedics took her to the hospital.
During an interrogation, Melissa Lucio's attorney said she denied harming the girl more than 100 times before saying, "I guess I did it." Her legal team argues that isn't a confession and she didn't get a fair trial.
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A group of bi-partisan state leaders are now involved and asking for the execution to be called off. State Representative Joe Moody was one of the lawmakers who visited Melissa Lucio this week on death row in Gatesville, Texas.
"I believe that Melissa Lucio deserves mercy. Justice is not being served by taking her life on April 27. We're going to do everything that we can to urge the Board of Pardons and Parole, the Governor, the District Attorney in Cameron County to change that path," said Moody.
"She (Melissa Lucio) is facing her mortality in a more profound way than most of us ever will. She's found peace in that. She said God's going to welcome her home on the 27th or some other day. My hope is that it's some other day because if we go forward as a state, blood is on all of our hands. We should never move forward with an execution if there is a doubt about someone's guilt," said Moody.
EN ESPAÑOL: Kim Kardashian se une en apoyo a la madre hispana de Texas sentenciada a muerte
