Justice, American-Style

IBD Editrials ^ | August 7, 2008

[Kaslin]

Jurisprudence: Over international objections, a foreign-born killer of American citizens is executed in Texas. Would this be allowed to happen in the administration of "citizen of the world" Barack Obama?

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It took 15 years, but Mexican-born Jose Medellin, who confessed to and was convicted of participating in the rape and murder of two Houston teenagers in 1993, was executed Tuesday after a four-hour delay while the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a final appeal based on the alleged denial of his right to contact the Mexican consulate for legal assistance under a 1963 treaty known as the Vienna Convention.

In 1993, Medellin confessed to participating in the rape and murder of Jennifer Ertman, 14, and Elizabeth Pena, 16, who were sodomized and strangled with their own shoelaces. Medellin bragged about keeping one girl's Mickey Mouse watch as a souvenir of the crime. He and four others were convicted of capital murder and sent to Texas' death row.

The International Court of Justice, formerly the World Court, ruled in 2004 that U.S. courts should review the convictions of Medellin and 50 other Mexican-born prisoners on death row because of the alleged treaty violation. The ICJ ordered — yes, ordered — the U.S. to "provide, by means of its own choosing, review and reconsideration of the conviction and sentence of Medellin and the others."

[laweeks]

Golly! Gonna’ miss him. What a shame!

[Arm_Bears]

Fry in Hell, Jose.

[the anti-liberal]

"Would this be allowed to happen in the administration of "citizen of the world" Barack Obama?"

In a word: no.

[Kaslin]

I am confused. Who are you going to miss?

[Clock King]

What would happen to US citizen in Mexico if the same happened?

[JOE6PAK]

Hot-diggity-dog!

[Kaslin]

you are 100 percent correct

[padre35]

Such tribunals have no concern for the rights of the victims of Medellin’s actions, none at all.

This is the sort of thing that the Obamao wants to impose on the on us all, we would be subject to such nonsensical kangaroo courts such as this one.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

Would this be allowed to happen in the administration of "citizen of the world" Barack Obama?

I know that most liberals have never heard of the US Constitution except when they want to misconstrue it to attack a Republican President, but the President doesn't get to decide who a State executes. President Bush did all that the Constitution allowed trying to get Texas to postpone the death penalty in this case.

[Jeff Head]

Justice...TEXAS style. Not many other states wouold have done what Texas just diod under similar political pressure.
<p.

[FlingWingFlyer]

Texas did another one tonight. They are on a roll. Don’t come to America and try to pull the crap you pull at home. We’ll give you justice.

[ought-six]

You just gotta love Texas.

[Dawgreg]

I do.........been a Texan all my life :)

[abigailsmybaby]

This is GREAT news!

[laweeks]

“I am confused. Who(m)are you going to miss?”

I was being sarcastic. Tah Tah to the murderer. Now he won’t have the right to an attorney when he meets his maker. No Miranda Rights in Heaven.