McALLEN — While the small rally held Sunday in support of freeing death row inmate Melissa Lucio was modest in size, it’s representative of a growing movement that’s now a global effort to prove the Harlingen mother’s innocence.
The rally was held outside Barnes & Noble on 10th Street in McAllen in support of Lucio, who was 38 and pregnant with twins when she was convicted in 2008 for the murder of her 2-year-old daughter in Harlingen.
According to federal court documents, Lucio told authorities and EMS personnel that her daughter, Mariah Alvarez, had fallen down a flight of stairs, but bruises on the toddler’s body had investigators believe otherwise.
A video interview with authorities reveals that Lucio admitted to causing bruises on Mariah by spanking the child. She would later say that she was responsible for the toddler’s death but her appeals attorney believes her confession was coerced during a seven-hour interrogation.
A 2020 documentary titled “The State of Texas vs. Melissa” by director Sabrina Van Tassel casts doubt on the entire judicial process.
“If Melissa had been white, if (she) was middle class and had a reasonable lawyer, she would never be where she’s at right now,” Van Tassel said. “She’s where she’s at because she was completely railroaded by the justice system.
“Everything was against her from the moment she was arrested.”
Van Tassel said Lucio’s story and her documentary have gained a massive amount of attention nationwide and was also featured in a recent segment about wrongful convictions on HBO’s “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver”.
Those present at Sunday’s rally agree with Van Tassel’s sentiments.
“We figure if they watch the film, they’ll see what we see and if they (follow) the link, there’s a petition on there as well as instructions if they want to reach out to the (Cameron County) District Attorney’s Office,” Weslaco resident Mark Anthony Vasquez, 47, said.
Vasquez was among the small group of rally attendees in McAllen on Sunday along with Dulce Lara from Edinburg.
The 30-year-old was protesting beside Vasquez with two of her boys, Robert and Alexis, as well as her 14-year-old nephew, Leo. She says her sons know how she tries to defy the judicial system for the corruption and injustices she’s witnessed firsthand.
“I’ve had my walks in the Hidalgo Courthouse and the probation department,” Lara said. “There’s just so many things people are hushed about but if we had the power and the money, things would be totally different for us.”
The documentary covers Lucio’s state appointed attorney’s negligence during the trial such as not allowing two children who allegedly witnessed their sister’s fall down the stairs to testify among other factors that could’ve played a critical role in the 2008 trial.
Vasquez, who has been holding daily vigils across the street from the District Attorney offices in Brownsville, said the group’s next goal is to screen “The State of Texas vs. Melissa” in local theaters around the Rio Grande Valley to rally more support.
The petition and documentary can also be viewed at freemelissalucio.org. The film is free to any Texan with a membership for their local library via Kanopy. It can also be watched via Hulu, Gathr, Amazon Prime and other streaming services.
Lucio is set to be executed April 27.
