You Can Save Melissa Lucio
Dear Friends,
We need you to save Melissa Lucio. On April 27th, Texas plans to execute Melissa—a mother of twelve—for a crime that did not happen. You can stop it. Call Governor Greg Abbott now and leave him a voicemail: 956-446-2866. Tell him to stop Melissa’s execution.
Melissa’s two-year-old daughter Mariah died in 2007, days after falling down a steep flight of stairs. Just hours after Mariah’s death, police aggressively interrogated Melissa, who was pregnant with twins. As a survivor of lifelong sexual abuse and domestic violence, Melissa was especially vulnerable to giving a coerced confession. After five hours of intense interrogation, Melissa finally broke down crying, “I guess I did it. I’m responsible.” The district attorney misleadingly told the jury that her statement was a “confession” and sought the death penalty. That same district attorney is now serving a 13-year prison sentence for bribery and extortion.
You can find more information on how you can stop Melissa’s execution by watching this video by the Innocence Project or by visiting this website.
Thank you for standing with us against injustice.
With Gratitude,
Burke Butler
Executive Director
Texas Defender Service