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Texas appeals court rejects death row inmate’s innocence ruling
CNN • • nation
Key Points:
- The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals rejected a ruling declaring Melissa Lucio innocent of capital murder, keeping her on death row after 18 years for the death of her 2-year-old daughter.
- Lucio narrowly avoided execution in 2022 when the court ordered a case review just days before her scheduled lethal injection, and her attorneys plan to appeal to federal courts.
- The case centers on whether the child's injuries were from abuse or an accidental fall, with a trial judge in 2024 ruling Lucio "actually innocent" and criticizing prosecutorial misconduct including false testimony and suppressed evidence.
- The appeals court's majority ruled against Lucio, citing reliance on her interpretation over prosecution evidence, despite four dissenting judges and widespread support from lawmakers and celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Amanda Knox.
- Lucio's legal team, including the Innocence Project, vow to continue fighting in federal court, aiming to prevent her execution and potentially make her the first woman exonerated from Texas death row.
