Federal officials try to block Texas execution to allow world court review of case

The Dallas Morning News ^ | July 28, 2008 | DIANE JENNINGS

[Texican72]

Fourteen years and numerous judicial reviews have passed since José Medellin was sentenced to die after confessing to the brutal gang rape and murder of two teenage girls in Houston.

That's long enough, state officials say. It's time to carry out the sentence.

But defense attorneys, and an unusual coalition of federal officials, including no less than the attorney general and secretary of state, say if his Aug. 5 execution is not stayed, so Mr. Medellin's case can be reviewed one more time at the behest of the International Court of Justice, Texas will be rushing to judgment and endangering Americans abroad.

"Put simply, the United States seeks the help of the State of Texas," Attorney General Michael Mukasey and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice wrote Texas Gov. Rick Perry in a letter released by defense attorneys.

[polymuser]

This is not the America my grandfather knew.

[stevio]

Come on Texas, you’re the country’s last hope.

[weegee]

Houston PING

[pennboricua]

“and endangering Americans abroad.”

other than in Islamic countries, Americans have no reason to fear being put to death by any Government. they do not believe in capital punishment and want to imposed, their views on us.

[fightinbluhen51]

Yes, sorry for my horrible spelling.

[BenLurkin]

Unbelievable.

[BnBlFlag]

Pi$$ on the Feds! Shoot him up Yesterday!

[free me]

The “World Court” isn’t looking for a flaw in the case, the world opinion is that the death penalty is “wrong”. Not so much public outcry against the gang rape and murder of two teenaged girls.

You nailed it. This is nothing more than an attempt by death penalty foes to stop these executions. They claim the poor fellows weren't advised that they could contact their consul, as if that would have changed anything.

Texas will do the right thing and carry out justice in accordance with their laws.

[MissEdie]

No, that’d let them off too easily, they need to be gang raped and murdered the same way the victim’s were.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Sounds like a serious Constitutional battle could be brewing.
We'll see if the state of Texas has the juice to stand up to the Fed on this one. They are in the right. The Federales have no business with their noses in this issue.

[packrat35]

More info about the actual crime here.

[Little Ray]

Actually, the issue is that this piece of human debris didn’t get to consult with his consulate before trial or something to that effect. If TX execute him, this may put American abroad in the same situation - unable to contact their consulate while being held for a crime.
Of course, I doubt it occurred to this piece of trash to ask. Most Americans know enough to demand to speak to their consulate as soon as they are arrested.
An any case, waste the bastard. Americans abroad will have to take their chances.

[chuckles]

The 2 Dem congressmen should be impeached. Their oath was to the Constitution. Same with the SCOTUS. If I hear one Justice even cite a "world court" ruling, they need to be removed. The "sanctuary city" officials should also be removed.

Are we seeing a pattern here?

I still believe the oath you take ought to mean something. If you take an oath to enforce American law, that's what we expect. You have no choice of laws you like or don't like.

[Red Badger]

You spelled it right..............But it was kinda funny. Empirical means something that can be proven by observation...........

[weegee]

This man was not DENIED contact with his consulate. He and his lawyers never made the request.

A foreign nation which would DENY an American who requests audience with his consulate would be a different thing.

[Paleo Conservative]

It’s ridiculous for alien criminal defendants to invoke this treaty on appeal when they never made any request to contact their country’s embassy before they went on trial. How is the state of Texas supposed to know that a prisoner is not a US citizen if that prisoner does not inform the state of that fact?

[YOUGOTIT]

The World Court is made up of left wing idiots who will NOT approve of any death of any criminal no matter the crime. As with the other left wing idiots in the EU it is their position to be on the side of the criminals and murderers and to hell with the victims.

Hang him!

[Little Ray]

The difference between being denied access to his consulate and not asking for it is apparently a very subtle difference, and probably a nonexistent one to the legal weasels.
“You should have TOLD us to contact the Mexican Consulate...” or something to that effect. You know how “rights” in the legal world tend to morph...

[weegee]

Under amnesty and sanctuary provisions of many communities, he is to be accepted as a citizen (even though he may not vote).

He’s treated as a local and suddenly there is an outcry.

[weegee]

A public defender (don’t know if he used one) may give him flawed representation but that is true of any lawyer even in private practice. Was it a deliberate act on the part of his legal defense to deny him access to his consulate?