A woman on death row in Texas has won a stay of execution

A woman on death row in Texas has won a stay of execution

Transcript¹

A Texas court halted Wednesday's planned execution of Melissa Lucio, who was convicted in the 2007 death of her two-year-old daughter. Lawmakers, celebrities² and jurors are questioning the verdict.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

In a case that drew national attention, a woman on death row in Texas has won a stay of execution. Melissa Lucio's murder conviction will be reviewed by the state's criminal court of appeals. We get details from Gaige Davila of Texas Public Radio.

GAIGE DAVILA, BYLINE³: When told she would not be executed this week, Melissa Lucio could not hold back the tears.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

JEFF LEACH⁴: You haven't heard the news yet.

MELISSA LUCIO: No, what happened?

LEACH: The court of criminal appeals issued a stay of your execution for Wednesday.

M LUCIO: Are you serious? Are you serious? (Crying).

DAVILA: That's Texas State Representative Jeff Leach breaking the news to Lucio yesterday afternoon in audio first published by the Texas Tribune. Lucio was sentenced to prison in 2008 for the death of her 2-year-old daughter, Maria. She says the child died after falling down the stairs outside their apartment. Defense⁵ attorneys say police coerced⁶ her to confess and allege⁷ new evidence proves her daughter's injuries were from a fall and not from child abuse, as prosecutors⁸ said. Lucio's oldest son, John, has high hopes for his mother.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

JOHN LUCIO: We're going to believe in God, and we're going to continue believing him and keep our faith up with him and keep on fighting this fight till we bring her home. She's no longer going to be executed. My mother will be free soon.

DAVILA: Lucio was scheduled to be executed tomorrow. Yesterday, one of her lawyers, Vanessa Potkin, explained the significance of the ruling.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

VANESSA POTKIN: Today's stay and remand to have hearings on the new evidence of her innocence⁹ really opens the door to the potential of a new trial in her case and ultimately complete vindication¹⁰.

DAVILA: In a state with the country's highest execution rate, Lucio's case is atypical. In the last five years, only 40% of stays have been granted to Texas death row inmates¹², and only one of those stays ended up resulting in a reduced sentence. A 2020 documentary on Lucio's case renewed interest in her story. This led to demonstrations¹³ being organized across the state on her behalf. The case caught the attention of John Oliver and Kim Kardashian, and it has generated bipartisan support in the Texas legislature for the state's sole Latina inmate¹¹ on death row.

(SOUNDBITE OF PROTEST)

UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTERS: (Chanting) Free Melissa Lucio. Free Melissa Lucio.

DAVILA: Lucio says she is grateful for the new chance to prove her innocence.

For NPR News, I'm Gaige Davila in Port Isabel, Texas.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 celebrities   

n.（尤指娱乐界的）名人( celebrity的名词复数 )；名流；名声；名誉

参考例句：

• He only invited A-list celebrities to his parties. 他只邀请头等名流参加他的聚会。
• a TV chat show full of B-list celebrities 由众多二流人物参加的电视访谈节目

3 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

4 leach   

v.分离，过滤掉；n.过滤；过滤器

参考例句：

• Liquid water can leach soluble materials from the interface.液态水能够从界面溶解出可溶性物质。
• They believe that the humic materials are leached from decaying plant materials.他们认为腐植物料是从腐烂的植物体浸沥而来。

5 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

6 coerced   

v.迫使做( coerce的过去式和过去分词 )；强迫；（以武力、惩罚、威胁等手段）控制；支配

参考例句：

• They were coerced into negotiating a settlement. 他们被迫通过谈判解决。
• He was coerced into making a confession. 他被迫招供。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 allege   

vt.宣称，申述，主张，断言

参考例句：

• The newspaper reporters allege that the man was murdered but they have given no proof.新闻记者们宣称这个男人是被谋杀的，但他们没提出证据。
• Students occasionally allege illness as the reason for absence.学生时不时会称病缺课。

8 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

9 innocence   

n.无罪；天真；无害

参考例句：

• There was a touching air of innocence about the boy.这个男孩有一种令人感动的天真神情。
• The accused man proved his innocence of the crime.被告人经证实无罪。

10 vindication   

n.洗冤，证实

参考例句：

• There is much to be said in vindication of his claim.有很多理由可以提出来为他的要求作辩护。
• The result was a vindication of all our efforts.这一结果表明我们的一切努力是必要的。

11 inmate   

n.被收容者；(房屋等的)居住人；住院人

参考例句：

• I am an inmate of that hospital.我住在那家医院。
• The prisoner is his inmate.那个囚犯和他同住一起。

12 inmates   

n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• One of the inmates has escaped. 被收容的人中有一个逃跑了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The inmates were moved to an undisclosed location. 监狱里的囚犯被转移到一个秘密处所。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。