Death Row mum 'actually innocent' and justice finally served thanks to Kim Kardashian

Mum-of-14 Melissa Lucio was jailed on the basis of the flawed testimonies of a Texas Ranger and Medical Examiner, with a judge believing any reasonable jury would find her innocent today

A woman on death row in Texas is having her name cleared after a judge recommended her conviction be overturned due to new evidence suggesting her daughter's death was accidental.

Mum-of-14 Melissa Lucio was jailed in 2008 after being accused of killing her daughter Mariah Alvarez, two, after she turned purple and unresponsive at their home in Brownsville, Texas. Lucio has maintained her innocence ever since, roping in mega star influencer Kim Kardashian to protest her innocence. The mother claims that Mariah fell down a flight of stairs and that flawed evidence was used to sentence her to death.

The judge presiding over the case, Arturo Nelson, made a bold comment, saying that Lucio is "actually innocent", adding that prosecutors withheld evidence during her trial that she has now seen, and been convinced of the woman's innocence, KPRC reports. In court documents, Nelson wrote: “In light of the new evidence, there is such clear and convincing evidence of innocence that no rational juror would have convicted (Lucio)."

When her body was discovered, prosecutors say there were several signs of trauma and bruising, including scratches and bite marks, covering the youngster when paramedics tried to revive her on February 17, 2007. Dr Norma Jean told the court the cause of death was head trauma, adding that her injuries "could only have been caused by intentional physical abuse exerted within 24 hours of her death.”

Her testimony swayed the jury by suggesting there was no possibility the toddler's injuries could have been the result of a fall. After the girl's body was found, Texas Ranger Victor Escalon interrogated Lucio, and decided her guilt on the spot.

Escalon said: “Escalon testifying that (Lucio) was not making eye contact with the investigator and had her head down and, accordingly: right there and then, knew she did something. And she was ashamed of what she did, and she had hard time admitting what had occurred.”

Lucio told him the girl's condition had deteriorated in the two days between her fall and death. She had been vomiting and her jaw had locked, but Lucio and her husband Robert Alvarez failed to seek medical care.

The mother-of-14 was shown a photo of her daughter's corpse, which prompted a confession in which she admitted to slapping, pinching and even biting the youngster. She said she was responsible for her death, but didn't admit causing it.

Eight of Lucio's brood were taken into the custody of Child Protective Services. One of them told police he'd seen his sister falling. According to Nelson, the jury decided on their verdict based on Farley's false testimony, and the Texas Ranger's incorrect report.

Back in 2022, Kardashian became engaged in the case after ten of Lucio's kids sent a letter to the state governor and parole board, begging them to drop the death sentence.

“We ask you to spare the life of our mother, Melissa Lucio. We ask you for closure. We ask for peace,” the letter said.