sending the case back to the trial court to consider whether withholding the evidence had violated Lucio’s constitutional rights.

No fucking shit

In a dramatic reversal, the DA’s office now admits that Villalobos failed to disclose the exculpatory statements. /…/ Melissa Lucio was full of red flags, from a coerced interrogation and reliance on junk forensics to lackluster defense lawyering and prosecutorial misconduct. “I’ve been doing capital defense work in Texas for 30 years,” Sandra Babcock, a Cornell Law School professor who is now part of Lucio’s defense team, told The Intercept in 2022. “And this is by far the weakest capital case I’ve ever seen.”

Lucio was prosecuted by embattled District Attorney Villalobos, who used the case to boost his tough-on-crime reputation as part of his reelection campaign.

Apparently, prosecutors are elected in the US. :o

That aside, I cannot imagine a forensic scientist not telling the difference between bruises from a fall, and bruises from beating. Investigators not disclosing evidence to the defense is just plain criminal behaviour.

The only thing the woman should have done, in my opinion, would have been - taking their child to an emergency room for checking up. If there is reason to suspect a concussion, a person should be checked - because sometimes the brain starts swelling and that can lead to death or disability with a small delay - likely what happened in this case. Esecially if a person with a concussion feels a sudden need for sleep, they should tell others to not let themselves fall asleep, and find medical care without delay.

I hope that Lucio manages to rebuild something of her life after this ordeal.