Wednesday, August 6

Texas Ignores Bush Administration Mexican National Executed

Texas Governor Rick Perry, Texas Attorney Generals office , and the board of Paroles and Pardons, were all in agreement that  Jose Ernesto Medellin would be executed as scheduled Tuesday. Medelin had been sentenced to die for his role in the brutal gang rape and death of two Houston Teenage girls.

Medelin and his attorneys had appealed the death penalty because he was not given access to Mexican consular officials a violation under the International treaty agreement. Attorney's had asked for a hearing on the matter before carrying out the death penalty.

President Bush, after discovering Medellin along with other Mexican Nationals were not allowed access to Mexican consular ordered states to comply with the ruling. The Bush Administration along with the International Court believe that carrying out the execution and breaking the treaty agreement would put Americans overseas in danger. The Supreme Court denied Medellin's appeal stating that neither President Bush or the International court had authority over Texas in this matter.

The decision to continue the execution of Medellin was due in part to the fact that he waited 4 years after being sentenced to die before he appealed.  As a spokeswoman for Governor Perry put it,

"We don't care where you're from. If you commit a despicable crime like this in Texas, you'll face the ultimate penalty under our laws."

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