03 April 2022 :
On April 27, the State of Texas will carry out the death sentence on Melissa Lucio.
It is a case that Hands Off Cain has followed closely.
Lucio is a woman of Hispanic origin, mother of 13 children, accused of mistreating one of her daughters, Mariah Alvarez, two years old, causing her death.
On July 9, 2008, we reported the death sentence.
On February 27, 2019, we reported that the federal appeals court had annulled the guilty verdict recognizing that, after new and more modern scientific investigations, the defensive thesis that the child had died from an accidental fall was plausible / probable.
Finally, we had pointed out that, with a very rigid motivation, based only on formalisms, on 9 February 2021 the plenum of the Texas Federal Court of Appeal had instead reaffirmed the woman's guilt. For those wishing to retrace the legal matter, please refer to the attached links.
What is absolutely urgent is of course a call to stop the executioner's hand.
It is incredible and inhuman that the death penalty still exists today, but unfortunately it is.
Hands off Cain - Spes contra Spem, joining the appeals that are being raised from many parts, therefore asks:
to Cameron County District Attorney Luis. V. Saenz, to revoke the execution warrant and to investigate the case again;
to the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, to recommend clemency for Melissa Lucio to the Governor;
to the Governor of Texas, Greg Abbot, to grant Melissa Lucio a pardon. Or at least to commute the penalty.