Texas appeals court rejects ruling of innocence for woman on death row for 18 years - AP News

The sharply divided decision comes after Lucio narrowly escaped execution in 2022, when the same court halted her lethal injection just two days before it was scheduled and ordered a full review of her case. That review drew support from lawmakers and celebrities across the political spectrum who argued she was innocent. Thursday's ruling reverses that momentum and leaves her conviction standing.

Lucio's attorneys said they will now take the case to federal courts, the next step available after a state appeals loss like this one. It's a serious setback for a case that pulled support from across the political spectrum, shifting the fight from Austin to the federal system entirely.

This case matters beyond the courtroom because it became a rare point of agreement among lawmakers who disagree on almost everything else regarding the death penalty. That effort now has to start over in a new legal arena. There's no guarantee federal courts will move any faster than the 18 years this case has already taken.

Melissa Lucio has spent nearly two decades on death row for a crime her own case history shows the state's highest criminal court itself once had doubts about.