For ten years she has been awaiting her fate, and she now faces her last appeal. Who are they? "[12], Police and prosecutors believe that the skull was that of Adam Frank, and that Antoinette murdered him. It is a very unjust system you may well be on death row because you have a court-appointed attorney who doesnt have the means to defend you and a district attorneys office who has all the means in the world to get you convicted. While some of them hope to have their cases reviewed. They told me that I was the first person in 13 years to ask anything about her casethat even her lawyer at the time of her trial had never tried to meet them. Kirby said that Lacaze deserved a new trial because one of the jurors hid the fact that he was a Louisiana state trooper and previously worked as a railroad policeman. Carty appealed to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Enjoy stories about nature, wildlife, culture, people, history and more to come. The speakers at Thursday's press conference included Reps. Jeff Leach (R-Allen) and Joe Moody (D-El Paso), who co-chair the Texas House Criminal Justice Reform Caucus and who were recently appointed as chair and vice-chair, respectively, of the Interim Study Committee on Criminal Justice Reform. Melissa Lucio was the first Hispanic woman sentenced to death in Texas. Lucio then had seven children with Robert Alvarez. She told them that a car she had rented and her daughter's car might have been used in the crime. Watched this thinking that the women where hard done to but then when you search the web you find out that they all had overwhelming evidence against them which is not mentioned I the documentary. From inside the cooler, Chau and Quoc could partially see the restaurant's kitchen and front. The children rely on the school for food and hygiene.. KVUE on social media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube, Tanvi Varma on social media: Twitter| Instagram. [3][20][21], The imposition of a death sentence in Texas results in an automatic direct appeal to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Frank's attorney stated she would appeal the ruling to the state's supreme court, which had already overruled both of Marullo's death warrants. [1][2][3] On occasion, though, she did distinguish herself, winning "Officer of the Month" awards from the local Kiwanis Club for her work in the community. If you watch the documentary, you can see the stairs that she fell on," John Vincent Lucio. Only . This appeal was rejected on September 19, 2009. The project is an unflinching look at a deeply diseased society, corrupted through and through by social inequality and the aristocratic principle that the wealthy and powerful can do whatever they want, while the poor and powerless are to be humiliated and degraded. She kept up her relationship even though she was well aware she was jeopardizing her career.[2]. Antoinette Frank is on Louisiana death row for the murders of three people including a fellow police officer. NOPD officials also thought having more African-Americans like Frank on the force would ease longstanding racial tensions in the majority-black city. Frank was taken to police headquarters for additional questioning, where she later confessed to the crimes along with Lacaze. American woman controversially sentenced to death, Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, 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, "Woman with Lubbock ties to be executed, many take up the cause to stop it", "Melissa Lucio is scheduled to be executed for a crime that may not have occurred", "Is Texas Sending Melissa Lucio to Die for a Crime That Never Happened? For ten years she has been awaiting her fate, and she now faces her last appeal. They found various items of baby paraphernalia.[3]. In 2007, Melissa Lucio 's 2-year-old daughter, Mariah, died after a tragic, accidental fall down a flight of stairs. I'm responsible. Women on death row. By what name was Women On Death Row (2017) officially released in Canada in English? Frank currently resides at the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women in St. Gabriel, Louisiana, the only woman on the state's death row. [4] As of 2022, Lucio is being held on death row[14] at the Mountain View Unit in Gatesville, Texas. Frank informed him that Lacaze was with her and ordered him released. She emigrated to the United States in 1982 and is a United States citizen. Melissas family, and some of her children, felt so railroaded by the justice system, they didnt trust anyone anymore. The director further explained that Melissas children have been placed all over Texas. [21][22] An appellate court later overturned the new trial order for Lacaze. [10][29], Carty, her lawyers, and her supporters contend that she has been unjustly sentenced to death for a murder she did not commit. Absolute Documentaries is part of the Little Dot Studios Network. The family is flushing the toilets with buckets of water. Peer into the lives of five of these women as they grapple with the challenges and horror of living in one of the most terrible places imaginable. "[24], On April 25, 2022, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals issued a stay of execution and ordered the 138th Judicial District Court of Cameron County to consider new evidence of Lucio's innocence in the death of her daughter. Prosecutors said that Mariah's injuries were the result of physical abuse, while Lucio's attorneys say that her death was caused by a fall down the stairs two days prior. Save your data and watch offline. Whether youre into true crime, stories from around the world, family and social life, science or psychology, weve got you covered with must-see full-length documentaries every week. He joined the New Orleans Police Department in 1991 and was a married father of two. She was aided by her probable lover, drug dealer Rogers Lacaze. She received a lethal injection at a prison in Terre Haute, Indiana, after a last-minute . Van Tassel has directed more than 45 documentary films over the last 15 years for major television programs. Detained in Arizona, Shawna Forde . They did not know the whereabouts of their other sister and brother, Ha and Cuong Vu, who had been sweeping the dining room floors when Frank entered the restaurant. [3] Lucio says she was sexually abused by her mother's boyfriend for about two years, beginning when she was seven years old. Then she directed them to a location where both cars were found: the live baby was in one, and the suffocated victim was in the back of the other. Serving Time 45m Years after leaving the military, Toby Gregory claims his service and PTSD caused him to murder his wife, Inez. Stream thousands of shows and movies, with plans starting at$7.99/month. After several hours of interrogation, Lucio stated, "I guess I did it. According to author Chuck Hustmyre, Frank was caught lying on several sections of her employment application and failed two standard psychiatric evaluations, with psychiatrist Philip Scurria advising against her hiring. In this chilling absolute documentary, Trevor meets inmate Fredrick Baer who killed a mother and her 5-year-old child in cold-blooded murder who is still hoping to escape the lethal injection on death row and avoid capital punishment. ***** Update August 1, 2019 - From Death Penalty Information Center -Melissa Lucio gets a new trial. Then 42-year-old Maureen McDermott was a former nurse at County-USC Medical Center who allegedly hired a co-worker to kill her male roommate. [22][23][24][25] However, on May 3, 2010, the Court refused to review the case, denying certiorari. [7] Her mother also reflects on their strained relationship. AUSTIN, Texas A bipartisan group of lawmakers held a press conference at the Texas Capitol on Thursday to discuss their support of clemency or a reprieve for Melissa Lucio. The execution . In November 1995, a month after she received her first death sentence, a dog led police to find a human skull with a bullet hole buried under Frank's house. Sentenced to the death penalty, her execution is scheduled for April 27 at the Huntsville Penitentiary.. As the deadline nears, her attorneys have asked the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles . Despite his involvement in the altercation, Bryant was never questioned by police, and he never gave a formal statement.[4]. Were not saying Miss Lucio is innocent, were not saying shes guilty, were saying for the board to provide her some clemency, so we can get her into a trial, said State Rep James White. In a 2005 retrospective, Chuck Hustmyre said, "As for those human bones unearthed beneath Franks house, so far, authorities have made no serious effort to identify them. Hernandez said the letter was supposed to be from someone named Oscar. The Evers were devout Christians who enjoyed gathering for family meals, holding group prayers, and living a quiet life. In a March 2022 letter to the Board of Pardons and Paroles and to Governor Abbott, eighty-three members of the Texas House of Representatives, including both Democrats and Republicans, signed a letter stating that executing Lucio would be "a miscarriage of justice". The state supreme court ruled on the case again. You will be with him in his cell, with his lawyer, with his family and spiritual leader all the wayright up to the moment of his EXECUTION! Linda Carty and Melissa Lucio are imprisoned in Texas. Lucio was addicted to cocaine and tested positive shortly after Mariah was born; this prompted authorities to place her children in foster care. Melissa Lucio was the first Hispanic woman sentenced to death in Texas. The intruders left, taking the baby with them. [2], On October 18, 2006, Frank's lawyers argued before the Louisiana Supreme Court that her death sentence should be overturned because she was denied state-funded experts to help prepare for the sentencing phase of the trial. In. Despite this, Frank got a second chance to apply. ", "Texas mother is set for execution as evidence suggests she did not kill her child", "I voted to sentence Melissa Lucio to death. The NOPD was chronically short-handed; at the time, its officers were paid less than in similarly sized cities, it was losing officers faster than they could be replaced, and the ranks had been decimated by several arrests for murder and drug activity. Nationwide, as of October, there are over 2,500 men and women sitting on death row that consist of 1,062 Black people, 1,076 White people, 343 Latinos, 24 Native Americans, 47 Asians and one. Chau, Quoc, and the employee hid in the rear of a large walk-in cooler in the kitchen, turning out its light as they entered. "[20], In January 2022, Cameron County officials signed an execution warrant for Lucio. No hidden fees, equipment rentals, or installation appointments. Although Frank graduated near the top of her academy class, her tenure with the NOPD was mostly undistinguished. As Williams fell, Lacaze continued to shoot him in the head and back, mortally wounding him. He concluded that Dr. Farley appeared to have jumped to wrong conclusions. [35] In November 2013, Carty's story was profiled on Investigation Discovery's documentary series Deadly Women, in an episode titled "Untamed Evil.". Linda Anita Carty (born 5 October 1958) is a Kittitian -American [a] former schoolteacher who is on death row in Texas. Quoc emerged from the cooler and ran out the restaurant's back door to a nearby friend's home to call 911 to report the murders. However, the United Kingdom lacks any legal forum to obtain redress for this breach. [9] She was then told by Escalon: "Right now, it looks like you're a cold-blooded killer. Meyers testified that Carty did not appear to be pregnant. Subscribe to see a little more of the world with our premium documentaries. [20], On July 23, 2015, retired district judge Michael Kirby threw out Rogers Lacaze's conviction and sentence and ordered a new trial. Earlier this month, the popular HBO show "Last Week Tonight". The documentary stands as a rebuke to the indifference of the media and the fanatical self-obsession of the identity politics crowd who could care less about the fate of people like Van Tassels subject. The filmmaker continued: But through the film we discover who the real Melissa wasthe abuse she suffered as a child, the harshness of her life, how she was accused without any proof and interrogated for hours until she surrendered. In early May 2001, Carty and her husband separated. The first is accused of kidnapping and killing her neighbor to abduct her baby, while the second allegedly mistreated her two-year-old daughter. Lucio is on death row and was scheduled to be executed on April 27.. pic.twitter.com/vfb4QeOtY1, The lawmakers are among dozens of Texas legislators who have signed a letter to the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles asking it to act in Melissa Lucio's case. Updated: 21:50, 10 Dec 2020 Chiara Fiorillo Published: Invalid Date, DARLIE Routier has spent the last 23 years on death row. Her father died when she was an infant, and the family moved to the Rio Grande Valley, where her mother had grown up, when she was a toddler. The Mississippi Supreme Court overturned Butlers conviction in 1992.Rodricus Crawford was convicted and sentenced to death in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, on charges that he had smothered his infant son. Dive in these women's lives full of horror, hope, death, and love, in one of the most terrible places in the USA, death row. Published by Statista Research Department , Jan 4, 2023. Following Mariah's death, Lucio was arrested and questioned for seven hours by Texas Ranger Victor Escalon without a lawyer present, and without receiving food or water. Lisa Montgomery - the only female inmate on federal death row in the US - has been executed for murder. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. September 27, 2021. [27], In 2018, she petitioned the Supreme Court again, arguing that the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals "refused to consider the cumulative prejudice" of constitutional errors in her case, including ineffective assistance of counsel and the State intentionally withholding "numerous items" of exculpatory evidence; however, the Court denied certiorari. Lucio has a chance to prove her innocence and save her own . Their trials were severed, and Lacaze was tried first on July 1721, 1995, before Judge Frank Marullo. more Director: Sabrina Van Tassel Documentaries Movie 2020 5.1 hd Stream thousands of shows and movies, with plans starting at $7.99/month. 18 by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)Source: http://chriszabriskie.com/preludes/Artist: http://chriszabriskie.com/The Voyage by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)Artist: http://audionautix.com/https://youtu.be/NaxBDflXv6o#DeathRowUsa #MarleyRecords #WomenOnDeathRow [4], Irvin Bryant, a civil sheriff in 1995, testified that on the evening of February 4, he observed a stopped police vehicle with its lights flashing. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, women are rarely sentenced to death in the United States and executions of women are even rarer. Esperanza Trevio, surrounded by family and friends, asked for the release of Lucio, her daughter, who is scheduled to be executed in April in Texas. At the time, commissioned law enforcement officers were legally barred from sitting on a jury. ITV is looking into the unique story of Linda Carty in a new one-off documentary, British Grandma on Death Row with Susanna Reid. [1], Investigators initially suspected Carty after discovering that she had told people she was going to have a baby despite not appearing pregnant. Who are they? [3][4] Carty claimed she was framed by her co-defendants who were drug dealers[5] because she had previously been an informant. Set in the heart of the Latino community of South Texas, the film explores the life and trials of Melissa Lucio, the first Hispanic woman sentenced to death row in Texas, the state. On September 12, 1995, the jury needed only 22 minutes to return a guilty verdict on all countsat the time, a record for a capital murder case in New Orleans. Watch full seasons of exclusively streaming series, classic favorites, Hulu Originals, hit movies, current episodes, kids shows, and tons more. Melissa was a good person. Another sister claims the trial was a kangaroo court a circus, where the jury was laughing with the prosecutor and the judge. Carty's cell phone records were introduced and showed 11 calls logged between 12:50a.m. and 2:50a.m. on 16 May 2001 between Carty's phone and the cell phone number that led police to Gerald Anderson. They dont stand a chance in a court of law.. Ind. In police uniform, Frank exited the squad car and told Wallace and Stevens to get out and go to the back of the car. You are about to exit Hulu.com to visit the Shop Hulu site, where a different Terms of Use and Privacy Policy apply. Trevor McDonald enters Death Row at one of America's oldest and most notorious maximum-security prisons to meet the very people whose crimes have led to the ultimate punishment. [5] Baker Botts, the law firm handling Carty's appeal, have argued that her trial attorney, Jerry Guerinot, handled her defense in an incompetent manner. Kirby wrote that while he felt the evidence of Lacaze's guilt was "overwhelming", the juror misconduct amounted to a "structural defect" and a "violation of a constitutional right so basic to a fair trial" that the only remedy was a new trial. . [17] While working as an informant, she provided information leading to two arrests. [9], Officer Williams was interred in Lake Lawn Metairie Cemetery on March 7, 1995. Read the Clemency Petition here. [11][12] A pathologist, Dr. Norma J. Farley, testified that the childs autopsy indicated that she did not die from falling down stairs, and instead her injuries were consistent with a death from blunt force trauma. Melissa Lucio was born in Lubbock, Texas,[2] on June 18, 1969, according to court records. HOUSTON During hours of relentless questioning, Melissa Lucio more than 100 times had denied fatally beating her 2-year-old daughter. Alabama Department of Corrections 301 South Ripley Street P.O. Frank then told the man that "Lacaze was the good guy" and that Wallace was the one causing the problems. She has also been charged with capital murder in the death of her six-year-old son, Devon, who was murdered at the same time as Damon. Director Sabrina Van Tassel Stars Kay Bess Christian Ackerley Jovelle Carty After Frank and Lacaze left the premises, Chau tried frantically to call 911 on her cell phone, but the cooler prevented her from getting a usable signal. As of January 1, 2022, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund said there were 50 women on death row across the United States. At that time, Wallace broke away, ran, and picked up a TEC-9 semi-automatic weapon off the grass. This is the woman, now aged 52, whom the Trump administration intends to put to death in seven days' time on grounds that she is such a cold-hearted murderer that even being locked up for the. However, such recommendations are rare. They said that the evidence against Lucio is troubling and that they at least want a stay of execution. The 10-year-old case, they say, remains under investigation. 60 women are waiting for their execution on death row. Prisoners on death row in the U.S. tend to be men. This is the documentary that the U.S government doesn't want you to see!This documentary has been uploaded for EDUCATION purposes and to show the public the harsh realities of what CAPITAL PUNISHMENT really meansand the horror of getting it wrong.You will have a fly on the wall view of condemned man EDWARD EARL JOHNSON and his lawyer over the space of 14 days. Now, are you a cold-blooded killer or were you a frustrated mother who just took it out on [Mariah]?" We decided to follow five of them. [2] Carty studied pharmacology at the University of Houston. Start Your Free Trial New subscribers only. As Frank moved out of Chau's line of vision, additional gunshots were fired but then observed Frank searching where the Vus usually kept their money. She had scattered bruising, bite marks on her back, patches of hair that had been pulled out, and a broken arm. The family has been homeless for the past six weeks. In the United States, the executions of 54 women prisoners are currently "on hold.". Guerinot's co-counsel has disputed this. May 15, 2018. In cases like this where you have a child death, there are experts that come in and do research and analysis, her attorneys decided to go to trial without allowing those experts to complete their work, said White. French-American filmmaker Sabrina Van Tassels heart-wrenching documentary The State of Texas vs. Melissa, now streaming on Hulu, chronicles the case of Melissa Lucio, the first Hispanic woman in Texas on death row, where she has languished for 13 years. Lucio's sister, Sonya Valencia Alvarez, said Lucio has spent the last 15 years grieving her daughter and Lucio's son, John Vincent Lucio, said his sister died by accident when she fell down a set of stairs. In a video, a female officer asks the boy: "Did you see your sister fall down the stairs or did somebody tell you that she fell?" The documentary outlines why her conviction was an egregious miscarriage of justice. Fellow exonerees, journalists, lawyers and activists applauded for Butler-Smith - and for Lucio, an innocent woman still on death row. Streaming Library with tons of TV episodes and movies, Most new episodes the day after they air, Watch on your favorite devices, including TV, laptop, phone, or tablet, Watch on 2 different screens at the same time, For current-season shows in the streaming library only, **Switches from Live TV to Hulu take effect as of the next billing cycle. Additionally, court documents state that the emergency room physician said he had not seen a case of child abuse worse than Mariah's. [25], A 2020 documentary by Sabrina Van Tassel titled The State of Texas vs. Melissa follows Lucio's case. 60 women are waiting for their execution on death row. Women on Death Row (4) 54min 2022 16+ Less than 2% of the inmate population awaiting execution on death row are women. FREEDOM TUBE 3.64K subscribers Subscribe 630K views 2. [15], A 2011 appeal against the conviction was denied by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Stream our library of shows and movies without ad interruptions. The United Kingdom contends in its amicus curiae brief[23] in the US Supreme Court that it regards the US as having breached its obligations under international law. We decided to follow five of them. This page was last edited on 21 January 2023, at 21:45. [14], Forensic pathologist Dr. Thomas Young, the former chief medical examiner in Kansas City, Missouri, reviewed the case at the request of Lucio's post-conviction attorney. Linda Anita Carty (born 5 October 1958) is a Kittitian-American[a] former schoolteacher who is on death row in Texas. Directors Sabrina van Tassel Starring Kay Bess, Linda Carty, Oliver E Diaz Genres Lisa Montgomery - the only female inmate on federal death row in the US - has been executed for murder. [25] Lacaze is serving his sentence at the Louisiana State Penitentiary ("Angola") in West Feliciana Parish. 8. She was scheduled for execution on April 27, 2022. Medical evidence indicated that the cause of death was likely cystic kidney disease or sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). In 2020, Hulu produced the mentioned documentary, " The State of Texas vs. Melissa ," which detailed how she could be innocent. Death row exonerees including Kwame Ajamu, right, listens to speakers during a Witness to Innocence news conference marking the organization's 15th anniversary at the at the National Constitution . In her statement, she claimed that she and Lacaze were not dating and had never been intimate. She stated that he was often addicted to drugs and alcohol and was physically abusive. Reprieve claims that her defense attorney did not present mitigating evidence. Carty then informed him that she was pregnant with his child. Written and directed by Sabrina Van Tassel. He was found guilty as charged and sentenced to death. Law enforcement, EMS officials ramp up efforts as spring break rolls in, Pleasant Weekend; Next Storm Chance Not Until Friday, Forecast: Beautiful weekend weather, warmer for next week, Family of woman on death row claims she's innocent, pleads for her release, Interim Study Committee on Criminal Justice Reform, 17-year-old Laci hopes to get adopted before she ages out of the Texas foster care system, 16-year-old driver tossed in Elgin tornado lucky to be alive, 'This is our only source of income': Round Rock family sees their food truck destroyed in tornado, Austin PD SWAT team responding to North Austin Walmart. The Fear of 13. In February, Lucio's family members gathered in Austin to say that she is innocent and should be released from prison. In the similar case of Manuel Velez, a man who was initially convicted for murdering a one-year-old baby and whose death sentence was overturned after further investigation, Farley's conclusions had also been contradicted by other medical experts. Many potential applicants were shut out due to a requirement that all officers be residents of New Orleans a requirement that was only changed in 2014. [9][28][10] The British government filed an amicus brief in her support. [3] Carty has claimed that she was framed by three men for her work as an informant with the Drug Enforcement Administration. We also discuss breaking news of the confirmed date for Lisa Montgomery's execution, Eric Menendez's retrial, and why the new Netflix documentary film American . According to the warrant, Frank was scheduled for execution by lethal injection on July 15, 2008. In 2020, Hulu produced the mentioned documentary, The State of Texas vs. Melissa, which detailed how she could be innocent. My gut told me that it was all messed up., Jason Flom, the founder of Lava Records who is an Innocence Project board member and the creator of the podcast Wrongful Conviction told Variety that the awful case of Melissa Lucio is an appalling example of just how broken our criminal legal system truly is., She was a victim, Flom went on, of a vicious and corrupt prosecutor who himself is currently serving time in federal prison [Armando Villalobos was convicted of bribery and extortion in 2014 for accepting over $100,000 in exchange for favorable outcomes in criminal trials and is currently serving a 13-year sentence in prison]; an incompetent and quite possibly compromised defense attorney; junk science; and above alla society in which the odds were stacked against her from birth., A court document highlights the horrific social conditions that afflicted Melissa and her children: The familys water has been turned off for a month. On 26 February 2010, Carty appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, in which the British government filed an amicus curiae brief. Marullo's signature appeared on an order authorizing Frank to take the murder weapon from the evidence room; Marullo has long maintained the signature was forged. This appeal was rejected on April 7, 2004. Antoinette Renee Frank (born April 30, 1971) is a former officer of the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) who, on March 4, 1995, committed a violent armed robbery at a restaurant which resulted in the killing of two members of the Vietnamese-American family who ran the establishment, and fellow NOPD officer Ronald A. Williams II.