LanceOregon
Moderator
Texas appears to be adamant about going forward with the executions of convicted murders who are Mexican Nationals. This is despite the fact that the World Court has ruled that the rights of these Mexican defendants under the Vienna Convention have been violated, and that they deserve new trials. In addition, massive Anti-USA protests are feared in Mexico this week, if the first execution is carried out this Thursday as planned.
In response, a spokesperson for the Texas Attorney Generals Office said this:
"The law is clear: Texas is bound not by the World Court, but by the U.S. Supreme Court, which reviewed this matter and determined that this convicted murderer's execution shall proceed."
The first Mexican scheduled for death this Thursday is Jose Medellin. Jose was only a 17 yr old minor when as part of criminal street gang, in participated in the gang rape of two young Houston girls: Elizabeth Pena, 16, and Jennifer Ertman, 14.
The young Mexican males were all drunk from drinking beer at the time. Witnesses said that the gang rapes of the two girls lasted for over an hour. Once the rapes ended, the gang then viciously beat both young girls to death with numerous punches and kicks to their bodies. One defendant also took out a small knife, and slashed both girls multiple times. Crime scene photos of the bodies of the girls shown at the trials of the defendants were said to have been absolutely horrific in nature.
The young men who participated in these acts were all given the death sentence. It was felt that the extremely depraved and violent nature of the murders helped convince the juries to evoke the death penalty.
Should Texas defy the World Court of Justice? After all, the United States has signed the Vienna Treaty that the World Court invoked. Even President Bush argued to give all of these men new trials, saying that the USA had to honor such treaties and obey international law. But the President and his administration lost when the United States Supreme Court ruled on this matter, and found that under the United States Constitution, the state of Texas was not bound by the World Court.
Here are some news stories about this:
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gpkdpV0pGSS_ozv30DC1F1QkVd5wD92B0K180
http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN0148487820080803?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0
Here is a recent photo of this convicted killer:
.
In response, a spokesperson for the Texas Attorney Generals Office said this:
"The law is clear: Texas is bound not by the World Court, but by the U.S. Supreme Court, which reviewed this matter and determined that this convicted murderer's execution shall proceed."
The first Mexican scheduled for death this Thursday is Jose Medellin. Jose was only a 17 yr old minor when as part of criminal street gang, in participated in the gang rape of two young Houston girls: Elizabeth Pena, 16, and Jennifer Ertman, 14.
The young Mexican males were all drunk from drinking beer at the time. Witnesses said that the gang rapes of the two girls lasted for over an hour. Once the rapes ended, the gang then viciously beat both young girls to death with numerous punches and kicks to their bodies. One defendant also took out a small knife, and slashed both girls multiple times. Crime scene photos of the bodies of the girls shown at the trials of the defendants were said to have been absolutely horrific in nature.
The young men who participated in these acts were all given the death sentence. It was felt that the extremely depraved and violent nature of the murders helped convince the juries to evoke the death penalty.
Should Texas defy the World Court of Justice? After all, the United States has signed the Vienna Treaty that the World Court invoked. Even President Bush argued to give all of these men new trials, saying that the USA had to honor such treaties and obey international law. But the President and his administration lost when the United States Supreme Court ruled on this matter, and found that under the United States Constitution, the state of Texas was not bound by the World Court.
Here are some news stories about this:
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gpkdpV0pGSS_ozv30DC1F1QkVd5wD92B0K180
http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN0148487820080803?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0
Here is a recent photo of this convicted killer:
.
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