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On Monday, Melissa Lucio was told by a state lawmaker that she was not going to be executed this week.
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Listen to the conversation between state Rep. Jeff Leach, a Plano Republican, and Lucio, whose death sentence has drawn international outcry as more people come to doubt her guilt in the death of her 2-year-old daughter, Mariah Alvarez.
Hear Melissa Lucio react to the news that her execution was halted. Your browser does not support the audio element.
Here is a transcript of their conversation:
Lucio: Hello.
Leach: Melissa.
Lucio: Yes.
Leach: Hey, this is Jeff Leach.
Lucio: Yes, sir.
Leach: How are you today?
Lucio: I'm doing fine. How are you?
Leach: Good, have you heard the news?
Lucio: No, what?
Leach: You haven't heard the news yet?
Lucio: No. What happened?
Leach: The Court of Criminal Appeals issued a stay of your execution for Wednesday.
Lucio: Are you serious!? Are you serious!? [Laughing and crying.] When did this happen?!
Leach: We just got word about 15 minutes ago.
Lucio: Oh my God. [Laughing and crying.] That is wonderful. Oh my God. What does that mean?
Leach: [Laughing.] Well, it means you're going to wake up on Thursday morning.
Lucio: Oh my goodness! [Laughing and crying.] Oh thank you, God.
Leach: You're not making the trip to Huntsville on Wednesday, and the the order was very strong in that it appears that you're going to get a new trial at the very least, they —
Lucio: Oh my goodness. That is so wonderful. Thank you so much!