Members of a Texas House committee on Tuesday repeatedly pressed a prosecutor to use his authority to stop the April 27 execution of a woman whose conviction is being questioned amid growing doubts about whether she fatally beat her 2-year-old daughter.
But during a sometimes contentious hearing, Cameron County District Attorney Luis Saenz initially resisted calls from lawmakers that he ask a judge to recall the death warrant for Melissa Lucio, suggesting at first he didn’t have the power to do so, then later saying there was no legal reason for him to act as various appeals court are still considering requests in her case. He later declared his belief the execution would be stopped.
