John —
In 2007, I was wrongfully convicted of killing my son, Andrew, by the State of Texas and spent seven years in prison before finally being exonerated.
My faith is what helped me forgive the people who sentenced me to spend my life in prison, after the devastating loss of my son in an accident and undiagnosed medical condition that my husband and I simply did not know about. When a child dies, people often feel like “somebody has to pay.” But tragic accidents happen, even as parents try to prevent them.
What my family and I went through was an absolute nightmare and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. But I fear what happened to me, also happened to Melissa Lucio, who has been on death row for 14 years. This time, the stakes are even higher.
Unless Governor Abbott grants her clemency, Melissa will be executed on April 27, 2022.
Join the fight to save Melissa — sign the petition calling on Texas to stop Melissa’s execution or text SAVEMELISSA to 97016:
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Everything I’ve learned about Melissa’s case tells me that her daughter’s death was a tragic accident, not a murder.
Mariah was the youngest of Melissa’s 12 children. She had a physical disability that made her unstable when walking and a history of falls. As the family was moving to a new apartment, Mariah fell down a flight of stairs. According to Melissa’s clemency application, her older brother saw her fall, and after, her injuries didn’t appear to be life-threatening, but she passed away two days later.
Two hours after Mariah’s death, police took Melissa, who was pregnant at the time, into custody and questioned her relentlessly for over five hours. They had already made up their minds that she was a monster — a nightmare that I know all too well. The police kept her up until 3 a.m., without food or rest, until she was physically and emotionally exhausted. She finally gave up and said, “I guess I did it” and went along with the officers’ demands.
I understand how Melissa got to this point. In court, the accused has an attorney who can object and stop the badgering. In the interrogation room, neither Melissa nor I had attorneys to protect us.
Another important thing that the courts did not take into consideration is that Melissa is a survivor of life-long sexual and physical abuse. A psychologist was available at Melissa’s trial to explain how her experience as a trauma survivor made her especially vulnerable to coercive interrogation tactics. But the court did not allow the expert to testify before the jury had to decide whether she was guilty.
Governor Abbott should grant Melissa clemency or, at a minimum, allow her more time to prove her innocence. Please, sign the petition calling on Texas to stop Melissa’s execution or text SAVEMELISSA to 97016 to see how you can get involved:
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Wrongful convictions happen. It happened to me. But Melissa’s wrongful execution would be an irreversible mistake, which is why we need your help to stop it.
Thanks,
Hannah Overton
Exonerated in 2015
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The Innocence Project works to free the innocent, prevent wrongful convictions, and create fair, compassionate, and equitable systems of justice for everyone. Founded in 1992 by Barry C. Scheck and Peter J. Neufeld at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University, the organization is now an independent nonprofit. Our work is guided by science and grounded in antiracism.
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