| | |  Americas & Beyond | July 2008 
Texas to World Court: Execution Still On!
 WorldNetDaily
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| | Jose Medellin | | |
Texas is refusing to bow to this week's World Court order to stay the Aug. 5 lethal injection of convicted rapist-killer and illegal alien Jose Medellin.
The highest U.N. court insisted that five scheduled executions of Mexicans be immediately halted until the cases undergo further review. Mexico's government filed a petition with the court last month because it said the men had been deprived of assistance from their consulates following their arrests.
According to Geneva Convention rules, illegal aliens must have access to their national consulates once they have been detained.
The U.N. court order echoes statements made by Mexico that "Texas has made clear that unless restrained, it will go forward with the execution without providing Mr. Medellin the mandated review and reconsideration," which will "irreparably" violate U.S. obligations to the World Court's 2004 directive, the Houston Chronicle reported.
Citing "the paramount interest in human life," Mexico said it would "for forever be deprived of the opportunity to vindicate its rights and those of the nationals concerned" if Medellin's execution continues as scheduled.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry's office rejected Mexico's complaint.
"The world court has no standing in Texas, and Texas is not bound by a ruling or edict from a foreign court," Perry spokesman Robert Black said. "It is easy to get caught up in discussions of international law and justice and treaties. It's very important to remember that these individuals are on death row for killing our citizens."
According to the Houston Chronicle, international law expert Sarah Cleveland warned if the U.S. ignores the U.N. court order, many other countries may follow its example.
"This can only come back to hurt U.S. citizens when they are detained abroad," she wrote in an e-mail to the newspaper. " ... When a global leader like the U.S. refuses to comply with its clear international legal obligations (and everyone agrees that this is a clear legal obligation), it undermines the willingness of other states to comply with their own obligations and it inspires them not to trust us to obey ours."
Randy Ertman, father of Jennifer, a 14-year-old girl Medellin raped and murdered, criticized the World Court for attempting to intervene.
"The world court don't mean diddly," he said. "This business belongs in the state of Texas. The people of the state of Texas support the execution. We thank them. The rest of them can go to h-ll."
Adolfo Peña, father of Elizabeth, a 16-year-old girl Medellin also raped and murdered, concurred with Ertman.
"I believe we've been through all the red tape we can go through," he told the Houston Chronicle. "It's time to rock and roll." |
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