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. According to the Cameron County District Attorney's Office, Mariah was found at the home with signs of abuse on her body. Frank then told the man that "Lacaze was the good guy" and that Wallace was the one causing the problems. Williams was a colleague of Frank who had been working as the security guard that night to supplement his policeman's salary. made a material difference to the outcome of this case. The boy then responded: "No, I saw her fall. Lisa Montgomery - the only female inmate on federal death row in the US - has been executed for murder. [3][20][21], The imposition of a death sentence in Texas results in an automatic direct appeal to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. September 27, 2021. Melissa Elizabeth Lucio (born June 18, 1969) is the first woman of Hispanic descent to be sentenced to death in the U.S. state of Texas. Subscribe to see a little more of the world with our premium documentaries. The Fear of 13. 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. [13], Lucio was pregnant with twins at the time of Mariah's death, and authorities compelled her to place them for adoption after delivering them while in jail. Detained in Arizona, Shawna Forde, head of an anti-immigration militia, was convicted, along with his accomplices, for murdering a father and his daughter. Now, are you a cold-blooded killer or were you a frustrated mother who just took it out on [Mariah]?" Save your data and watch offline. [14][15], In 1992, Carty was convicted of auto theft and impersonation of an FBI agent. In 2007, Melissa Lucio 's 2-year-old daughter, Mariah, died after a tragic, accidental fall down a flight of stairs. [17], However, in media interviews, Carty has claimed that she was recruited by a friend from the Houston Police Department and that her work for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) helped land seizures of thousands of dollars worth of narcotics and led to the imprisonment of scores of dealers.[5]. [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. This appeal was rejected on September 19, 2009. While some of them hope to have their cases reviewed. Despite his involvement in the altercation, Bryant was never questioned by police, and he never gave a formal statement.[4]. Lacaze had slipped behind Williams and shot him in the neck, severing his spinal cord and instantly paralyzing him. [25], A 2020 documentary by Sabrina Van Tassel titled The State of Texas vs. Melissa follows Lucio's case. ", "Her execution date looming, a mother maintains innocence in 2-year-old daughter's death", "Execution date set for Harlingen mom for murdering daughter", "Melissa Lucio execution - latest: Kim Kardashian appeals to Texas governor as juror says death sentence wrong", "Death row mum-of-14 hopes new videos could clear her of toddler's fatal fall", "Texas Set to Execute Melissa Lucio Despite Credible Claims of Innocence", "Former Cameron County District Attorney Armando Villalobos Sentenced To Federal Prison In Connection With South Texas Bribery Scheme", "Harlingen woman faces April execution for daughter's 2007 murder", "Melissa Elizabeth Lucio v. The State of Texas (concurring)", "Federal Appeals Court Overturns Mother's Conviction in Texas Child Murder Case That May Have Been an Accidental Death", "Divided Federal Appeals Court Reinstates Death Sentence for Texas Mother of Child Who May Have Died in Accidental Fall", "Court Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law: Manuel Velez", "A Texas mother could be executed in April. Never before and probably, never again will such unlimited access ever be given again.Brace yourself to go on an extremely emotional journey as a man, considered by everyone, including the PRISONS WARDEN, to be completely innocent is fighting to stop a seemingly, unstoppable execution.If you would like to end capital punishment in your country (U.S) or any country, visit https://reprieve.org/ to find out what you can do.THIS VIDEO HAS BEEN UPLOADED TO TEACH/EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON THE ULTIMATE PUNISHMENT THAT IS CARRIED OUT IN THEIR NAME \u0026 WHAT IT REALLY MEANS. She was scheduled for execution on April 27, 2022. U.S. capital punishment - share of prisoners with a death sentence 2020, by gender. New subscribers only. Frank had taken a statement from Lacaze after he was shot on the street, and initially got closer to him in hopes of turning his life around. In police uniform, Frank exited the squad car and told Wallace and Stevens to get out and go to the back of the car. With the latest camera equipment used by well-known filmmakers working for famous production studios. Author Caitlin Rother said Skylar is now wearing women's clothes. It played at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2020, and won best documentary at the Raindance Film Festival. It was later revealed that the two had a sexual relationship. Carty then informed him that she was pregnant with his child. ITV is looking into the unique story of Linda Carty in a new one-off documentary, British Grandma on Death Row with Susanna Reid. But Ms. Lucio and her family never got to mourn the loss of her youngest daughter because, within hours of her passing, they were swept up into a nightmare that has lasted more than 14 years and torn their family apart. It was later determined that Mariah's arm had been broken two to seven weeks before her death, and an autopsy also showed a head injury and bruising of the kidneys, lungs and spinal cord. When Chau had let her out on the last visit, she could not find the front door key, and with Frank returning for the third time, she sensed something was wrong. The State of Texas wants to kill me, Melissa bluntly tells the camera in the movies opening sequence. We decided to follow five of them. Frank and Lacaze had been shouting at Ha and Cuong, demanding the restaurant's money, but they did not know where Chau had hidden it. [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. Carty's mother testified that her daughter did not mention that she was pregnant when they talked on 13 May or the following days, and Carty did not appear to be pregnant around that time. In the United States, the executions of 54 women prisoners are currently "on hold.". Frank believed Williams was shortchanging her on hours and pay at the Kim Anh, and wanted revenge. Child Protective Services had previously investigated Lucio for allegations of child neglect, and they reported that Lucio's youngest children were often left in the care of their teenaged siblings. [26], On March 6, 2022, in the main segment of an episode of the HBO show Last Week Tonight with John Oliver called "Wrongful Convictions", her case was the main one to be mentioned as a reason for the reform of the American justice system and specifically, the abolition of the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 (AEDPA). 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. [34], In 2012, she appeared on a segment of Werner Herzog's series On Death Row, broadcast on the Discovery Channel program Investigation Discovery. [9][10][11], Born in St. Kitts to Anguillan parents,[12] Carty holds British citizenship as St. Kitts was a British colony at the time of her birth. Its hard to wake up every morning in the same old ugly cage.Its hard to get along with these people full of rage.Its hard to move ahead when the clock is running slow.Its hard to have so many questions with answers I dont know.Its hard to think Im smart when I have lost everything so fast.Its hard to think about the future when Im still stuck in the past.Its hard to feel their love when my family is so far.Its hard to forget about the mistakes when theyve left so many scars.Its hard to move on when in life I have no role.With everything being toohard, youd think Id just give up.But the only thing about being at the bottom is the only way is up. If we had been allowed, and given the opportunity to support Linda Carty, if she had been given all the support to which she was entitled and which she deserved something entirely different, I believe, would have happened at that trial and Linda Carty would not now be facing a death penalty. 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. Medical evidence indicated that the cause of death was likely cystic kidney disease or sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). 4th Circuit appellate judges Edwin Lombard, Paul Bonin and Madeleine Landrieu ruled "After review of the state's writ application in light of the applicable law and arguments of the parties, we find that the trial court erred in finding that the seating of Mr. Settle on the defendant's jury was a structural error entitling him to a new trial".[23]. The State of Texas vs. Melissa is a character study about a woman on death row who is on her last appeal, and is about to be executed, commented director Van Tassel in an interview with Women and Hollywood . LCIW was damaged by 2016 flooding, so its prisoners, including Frank, were moved to other prisons.[24]. [7] The child was pronounced dead at a local hospital. more Director: Sabrina Van Tassel Documentaries Movie 2020 5.1 hd Stream thousands of shows and movies, with plans starting at $7.99/month. 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. As the two were leaving the party, a verbal altercation between Stevens and Lacaze ensued, but Wallace suggested they leave. The prosecutions principal evidence against Melissa was a videotaped confession she made while in police custody. On the surface, she checks all the boxes of the ideal culprit. 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. See the full list of inmates currently on Death Row within the Arkansas Division of Correction including date of sentence. Tonight's episode saw Good Morning Britain host Susanna travel to. Justice is not suddenly restored because another person dies. The authorities in Texas failed to inform the British Consulate until after Carty's conviction and sentencing. We followed them down the green line.Subscribe Free Documentary Channel for free: https://bit.ly/2YJ4XzQJoin the club and become a Free Documentary Patron: https://www.patreon.com/freedocumentaryInstagram: https://instagram.com/free.documentary/Facebook: https://bit.ly/2QfRxbGTwitter: https://bit.ly/2QlwRiI#FreeDocumentary #Documentary #WomenOnDeathRowFree Documentary is dedicated to bringing high-class documentaries to you on YouTube for free. 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. Detained in Arizona, Shawna Forde . 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. Rantz subsequently described Frank as the most cold-hearted person he'd ever encountered in three decades as an officer. International Committee of the Fourth International. Mariah was Lucio's twelfth child. Fronted by the Good Morning Britain presenter, the film will. Ind. Frank's attorneys introduced the testimony of psychiatrists who said that possible traumatic events in Frank's childhood could have affected her behavior at the time of the murders and she may have been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Taiwan Film Festival Edinburgh . 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. [24] They assert that no scientific evidence exists that establishes that she was at the scene of the crime,[5] although her fingerprints were found in the car containing the victim's body. 2d 724 (La. [5] When Chau went to pay Williams, Chau noticed Frank approaching the restaurant. Watch full seasons of exclusively streaming series, classic favorites, Hulu Originals, hit movies, current episodes, kids shows, and tons more. However, she was smitten by Lacaze's "bad boy" persona, and their relationship soon turned sexual. In February 2002, she was sentenced to death for the abduction and murder in 2001 of 25-year-old Joana Rodriguez in order to steal Rodriguez's newborn son. I had never been incarcerated. Content Licensed by ITV Global. 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! She is scheduled to be executed on April 27. They said that the evidence against Lucio is troubling and that they at least want a stay of execution. [1], Investigators initially suspected Carty after discovering that she had told people she was going to have a baby despite not appearing pregnant. Melissa Lucio was the first Hispanic woman sentenced to death in Texas. She emigrated to the United States in 1982 and is a United States citizen. The next day, they needed only 45 minutes to recommend the death penalty. [2], On November 25, 1994, Frank handled an incident in which Rogers Lacaze, a known drug dealer, had been shot. 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. [3], Frank and Lacaze were indicted by an Orleans Parish grand jury on April 28, 1995. The women on death row are housed at the Mountain View Unit. BACKGROUND (Previous to April 25, 2022): Melissa Lucio has spent nearly 15 years on death row for the alleged murder of her two-year-old daughter, Mariah. Good Morning Britain 's Susanna Reid meets death row inmate Darlie Routier in tonight's new documentary Death Row Women With Susanna Reid for ITV's Crime & Punishment strand. [18] While interviewing neighbors in the apartment complex, police heard from one neighbor that she sat with Carty in a car, saw a child's car seat in the car, and was told by Carty that she was pregnant, although the witness thought Carty did not appear to be pregnant. She was aided by her probable lover, drug dealer Rogers Lacaze. According to Stevens, Wallace rushed Lacaze, and the two men began fighting. However, such recommendations are rare. On 26 February 2010, Carty appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, in which the British government filed an amicus curiae brief. 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. . ***** Update August 1, 2019 - From Death Penalty Information Center -Melissa Lucio gets a new trial. Chau ran to the kitchen to hide the money in the microwave. THEREFORE IT IS ALLOWED UNDER FAIR USE.This video has been uploaded following reasons:1) To demonstrate to the public the harsh reality of what a sentence of \"DEATH\" really means.2) To show the full horror of what it means to get it wrong when an innocent man is executed.3) The lasting damage it often causes to those carrying out the sentenceon all sides.4) The data shows the death penalty does not work as a deterrent.5) Too many innocent people are executed.Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for fair use for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Contact the ADOC. Despite this, Frank got a second chance to apply. In February 2021, the 2019 grant of relief was reversed. Hanging was means of execution from 1819 to 1923. Stream thousands of shows and movies, with plans starting at$7.99/month. In. [1], Chau and Frank were questioned in detail while seated at different tables in the restaurant. She was believed to be the first New Orleans police officer to have been charged with killing a fellow officer. Reprieve claims that her defense attorney did not present mitigating evidence. [9] She was then told by Escalon: "Right now, it looks like you're a cold-blooded killer. [14], On September 11, 2008 the day that the state supreme court stay was to end, a new death warrant was signed by the same judge. [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. She grew up in a seemingly idyllic home in Enid, Oklahoma. [9][23] The Mexican Ambassador to the United States, Esteban Moctezuma, announced on April 22 that he sent a letter to Governor Abbott asking him to grant executive clemency to Lucio, as "Mexico has historically manifested an unwavering commitment in its opposition to the death penalty. 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. To get in touch please email owned-enquiries@littledotstudios.com. At times, they thought Frank veered into irrational behavior. 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. 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. Since 1976, Texas has executed more people than any other state (572), more than one-third the total number (1,534) of victims of this barbaric punishment, and is one of only two states to have put anyone to death during the pandemic. This film not only depicts the America of the less fortunate, but also the fate of a woman who was a victim from the day she was born, a woman who has been crushed by the American judicial system., Confined behind a glass partition, wearing white prison garb, her face washed out in the artificial lighting, Melissa appears stunned: I dont understand how the court system did this to me. Further on she comments: I had never been arrested before. 16(1) of the Convention). The execution . In February 2002, she was sentenced to death for the abduction and murder in 2001 of 25-year-old Joana Rodriguez in order to steal Rodriguez's newborn son. The intruders left, taking the baby with them. The second allegedly mistreated her 2-year-old daughter. The baby stopped breathing, and resuscitation attempts left bruises that led police to accuse Butler of child abuse. Serving Time 45m Years after leaving the military, Toby Gregory claims his service and PTSD caused him to murder his wife, Inez. His main tip-off had been using Williams' Chevron credit card at a Chevron station in Gretna just minutes after the robbery and murders. In early May 2001, Carty and her husband separated. This page was last edited on 21 January 2023, at 21:45. 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. The investigator also questioned Frank about trying to buy 9mm ammunition for Lacaze at Walmart on the day before the Kim Anh murders, but stated that she was a police officer and that there was nothing wrong with her buying ammunition. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. In her statement, she claimed that she and Lacaze were not dating and had never been intimate. Yarris' accounts of his life, what got him to death row, and what it's like to be an inmate are so captivating that you'll forget he is the only person featured in this entire prison . [29], Carty's case received media attention in September 2009 when her image was placed on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square by her British supporters. The family has been homeless for the past six weeks. Women on Death Row | Prison DocumentaryBehind Bars: South Cotabato Jail, Philippines: https://youtu.be/A8slYgeqGLwIn the United States, 54 women are \"on hold\" for the execution of their death sentence. However, the United Kingdom lacks any legal forum to obtain redress for this breach. 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. They dont stand a chance in a court of law.. 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. During her litigation, Lucio earned notoriety as the first Hispanic woman on. [17] However, yet another lower court state judge, ruled in October 2010 that Marullo had to be recused from the Frank and Lacaze cases because it was unclear if he had been open with the defense teams about his own surprising connection to the gun used in the restaurant murders. Crawford was exonerated in 2017.Vicente Benavides was exonerated in April 2018 after 26 years on Californias death row, wrongly convicted of raping, sodomizing, and murdering his girlfriends 21-month-old daughter. Seven of those calls were placed between 1:09a.m. and 1:14a.m. Sarah Hernandez testified that she met Carty while they were both serving time in jail. KVUE on social media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube, Tanvi Varma on social media: Twitter| Instagram. The victim's husband testified that while the intruders were in his home, one of them answered his cell phone and said, "We are inside here. - YouTube 0:00 / 1:25:47 THIS DEATH ROW DOCUMENTARY WILL CHANGE YOU FOREVER! 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?" Chau told Frank she knew what she had done and cried to the officers that Frank had committed the crimes. For ten years she has been awaiting her fate, and she now faces her last appeal.more, Melissa Lucio was the first Hispanic woman sentenced to death in More. Her story became the subject of the 2020 documentary The State of Texas vs. Melissa. Linda Carty and Melissa Lucio are imprisoned in Texas. In February, Lucio's family members gathered in Austin to say that she is innocent and should be released from prison. Japanese Reviews Documentary Review: Okinawa/Santos (2020) by Yoju Matsubayashi. Lucio's case was the subject of a 2020 documentary, The State of Texas vs. Melissa. [16] In 2019, a three-judge panel of the Federal Appeals Court overturned the sentence and ordered a retrial because of the trial court's interference in Lucio's right to present a defense. The letter cites significant doubts about "Ms. Lucios guilt, her disparate treatment compared to her husband and co-defendant, who received a four-year sentence, and the impact her execution will have on her supportive family and faith community.". According to the Death Penalty Information Center, women are rarely sentenced to death in the United States and executions of women are even rarer. In total, there are around 2,500 people on death row in America. If you watch the documentary, you can see the stairs that she fell on," John Vincent Lucio. 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. At the time, commissioned law enforcement officers were legally barred from sitting on a jury. She was placed under arrest. [6], Frank's trial began on September 5, 1995, also before Marullo. 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. 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. Their names are:Darlie Routier, Kimberly Cargil, Brittany Holberg, Erica Sheppard, and Linda Carty.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Music CreditsSuspense Action by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)Artist: http://audionautix.com/Machinations by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100510Artist: http://incompetech.com/The Temperature of the Air on the Bow of the Kaleetan by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)Source: http://chriszabriskie.com/uvp/Artist: http://chriszabriskie.com/Prelude No. "[12], Police and prosecutors believe that the skull was that of Adam Frank, and that Antoinette murdered him.

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