[Gigantor]

If an American is arrested for a crime in Mexico, we want our citizens to have access to the US consulate.

That is what this case is about.

He wasn't denied access to the consulate. He never brought the issue up at trial.

[wideawake]

He wasn't denied access to the consulate. He never brought the issue up at trial.

He was supposed to be advised of his right to consult his consulate.

If a native-born criminal goes to trial without a state-provided or other attorney and is convicted without being represented in court, any conviction will be overturned, even if the police testify that "he never asked for an attorney."

[wideawake]

Also, the fact that he was never in touch with his consulate will constitute another set of potential grounds for his appeal - i.e. that he was incompetently represented by an attorney who never advised him of his right to contact his consulate.