The State of Texas vs. Melissa explained

The State of Texas vs. Melissa
Director:	Cyril Thoma Sabrina Van Tassel
Producer:	Philippe de Bourbon Isaac Sharry Sabrina Van Tassel
Starring:	Norma Jean Farley Peter Gilman Bobby Lucio Daniella Lucio Diane Lucio Esperanza Lucio Melissa Lucio Rene Lucio
Music:	Christophe Lapinta
Cinematography:	Cyril Thomas
Editing:	Damien Bois
Studio:	Vito Films
Distributor:	Alba Films FilmRise
Runtime:	102 min.

State of Texas vs. Melissa is a 2020 French-American documentary by Sabrina Van Tassel. The documentary follows the case of Melissa Lucio, a Texan woman who was the first woman of Hispanic descent in Texas to be sentenced to death. It was selected for the Tribeca Film Festival in 2020, and won best documentary at the Raindance Film Festival., Lucio has been on death row for 13 years, having been convicted of the abuse and murder of one of her children. The rights were acquired by Hulu, for streaming in the US.^[1]

Background

On February 17, 2007, paramedics were called to a residence, where an unresponsive two-year-old child, who later died, was found. The child's mother, Melissa Lucio, was arrested and convicted of murder due to evidence of abuse.^[2] A 2011 appeal against the conviction was denied.^[3] However, due to trial court interference in the accused's right to present a defense, the sentence was unanimously overturned in 2019 by a three-judge panel of the Federal Appeals Court.^[4] However, the full court in 2021 ruled that the conviction had to be upheld for procedural reasons "despite the difficult issue of the exclusion of testimony that might have cast doubt on the credibility of Lucio's confession",^[5] and the death sentence was upheld.^[6]

In January 2022, Cameron County officials signed an execution warrant for Lucio, scheduled for April 27, 2022.^[7] On April 25, 2022 the Texas Court of Appeals granted a stay in Lucio's case and remanded it back to trial court. The court found merit in four of Lucio's claims for clemency.^[8]

Reception

The documentary received overall positive feedback, with score on Rotten Tomatoes.^[9]

See also

• List of death row inmates in the United States
• List of people scheduled to be executed in the United States
• List of women on death row in the United States

Notes and References

1. News: Hulu Acquires U.S. Rights to Tribeca Documentary The State of Texas vs. Melissa . . April 16, 2021 . April 15, 2021 . Elsa . Keslassy.
2. Web site: Death Row Information . Texas Department of Criminal Justice . April 17, 2021.
3. Web site: Melissa Elizabeth Lucio v. The State of Texas (concurring) . Justia Law . en.
4. Web site: Federal Appeals Court Overturns Mother's Conviction in Texas Child Murder Case That May Have Been an Accidental Death . Death Penalty Information Center.
5. News: The Associated Press . Lawyers hope new evidence can stop Texas woman Melissa Lucio's execution . NPR . 3 April 2022 .
6. Web site: Inmates on Death Row . Texas Department of Criminal Justice . January 15, 2022.
7. News: Puente. Nathaniel. January 14, 2022. Harlingen woman faces April execution for daughter's 2007 murder. KVEO-TV. January 15, 2022.
8. Web site: Hennes . Rebecca . 2022-04-25 . What to know about Melissa Lucio, Texas mom on death row whose execution was halted by a Texas court . 2022-04-26 . Houston Chronicle . en-US.
9. Web site: The State of Texas vs. Melissa (2020). Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. .