PUTNEY — When I first heard the story of Melissa Lucio, scheduled for execution just weeks away now, on April 27, I was shocked but not surprised. I had heard stories like this for decades.
When I lived in Maine, one of my neighbors was a direct descendant of one of the last men put to death in the state, a case that led to the abolition of the death penalty there.
Years later, in 2011, I travelled to Georgia during the weeks leading up to the execution of Troy Davis, who was wrongfully convicted and also executed. I learned that our system of justice is tangled up in political power dynamics and not the ideal in which I was educated to believe.
I urge you: Please - learn Melissa's story carefully.
Learn enough so that you can respond to those who claim she was abusive to her daughter, whom she was convicted of killing. There is no clear evidence of that. Learn enough about her case that you can understand the motivation of prosecutors and judges and others who want to convince the world that she deserves to be put to death.
Then, please, if you know anyone in Texas, contact them and urge them to call District Attorney Luis Saenz (956-300-3881) and Gov. Greg Abbott (956-446-2866).
Ask them to request that they reconsider the case given the questionable evidence. Tell them about the former D.A. Armando Villalobos, who presented at Melissa's trial that she confessed based on police harassment and misjudgment of her behavior under traumatic circumstances. Villalobos is now in prison for bribery and extortion.
You may think, “This has nothing to do with us here. It's down in Texas; why should I bother?”
But it is relevant to us all. We're all involved in what goes on, and if we want to stand for democracy and justice, we need to speak up.
Please - even if you've never done anything like this before, sign a petition. Get someone to help you if need be. Tell people in your faith community, your family - anyone you know.
Help turn this injustice around. Help make a difference, and maybe we can save Melissa from being wrongfully put to death.