US News
Texas appeals court rejects innocence ruling for death row inmate Melissa Lucio
A divided court keeps Lucio on death row, according to ABC News reporting.
The short version
- The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals issued a 5-4 ruling rejecting a trial judge's finding that Melissa Lucio was actually innocent of capital murder in the death of her daughter.[ABC News]
- The unsigned majority opinion concluded that the lower court relied too heavily on the defense's perspective rather than the state's case.[ABC News]
- Lucio remains on Texas' death row, where she previously avoided execution in 2022 following a last-minute stay.[ABC News]
- Her defense attorneys with the Innocence Project announced plans to challenge the ruling in federal court.[ABC News]
Key facts
- The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals voted 5-4 to reject a 2024 lower court ruling finding Melissa Lucio actually innocent.[ABC News]
- Lucio was convicted in 2008 of capital murder following the death of her two-year-old daughter, Mariah.[ABC News]
- The trial judge found prosecutors had withheld evidence and presented false testimony, alongside scientific evidence not available during the initial trial.[ABC News]
- Prosecutors admitted during the appeal process that they had suppressed material evidence during the original trial.[ABC News]
- Lucio's attorneys plan to pursue an appeal in federal court.[ABC News]
What remains uncertain
- Whether federal courts will agree to review Lucio's conviction or stay any future execution attempts remains unknown.[ABC News]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.