HOUSTON – A Texas woman sentenced to death for the murder of her two-year-old daughter has been granted a temporary reprieve, after an appeals court halted Wednesday’s execution so a lower court can review the case.
Melissa Lucio, a mother of 14, was convicted and sentenced to death row for the 2007 murder of her daughter, Mariah. Lucio was accused of fatally beating the girl, The Associated Press reported.
According to CBS, new forensic evidence suggests that the girl’s death may have been an accidental fall down steps instead of physical abuse at the hands of Lucio.
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled Monday to halt the execution so that several claims made by Lucio’s defense team that would exonerate her can be reviewed. A bipartisan group of Texas lawmakers and other notable figures have said Lucio deserves a new trial, The Associated Press reported.
If she loses her appeal, Lucio would be the first Latina executed in Texas, CBS reported.
