I did not know that her long history of physical and sexual abuse made her vulnerable to...
for the alleged murder of her 2-year-old daughter. Even at the time of trial, when it seemed to me that Lucio’s defense lawyers were hardly making a case for her life, I did not want to sentence her to death. I felt pressured by my fellow jurors to vote for a death sentence, but I wish I had never done so.
But there were so many other details that went unmentioned. It wasn’t until after the trial was over that troubling information was brought to light. It would have mattered to have heard from an eyewitness about the child’s fall down the stairs. One of Mariah’s siblings saw her fall but was never called to testify. I have also learned since the trial that the district attorney who prosecuted her was corrupt. He is serving a prison sentence now. That only adds to my belief that our decision in Lucio’s case was wrong.
Giving someone the death penalty is a staggering responsibility. I took the job seriously, and it was very difficult for me. The idea that my decision to take another person’s life was not based on complete and accurate information in a fair trial is horrifying. There are so many problems in this case that I believe she must not be executed.I am joining several of my fellow jurors in calling for a new trial. We are not alone.
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