Don't Hang That Illegal?

[Made in the USA]

WASHINGTON — President Bush, who presided over 152 executions as governor of Texas, wants to halt the state's execution of a Mexican national for the brutal killing of two teenage girls.

The case of Jose Ernesto Medellin has become a confusing test of presidential power that the U.S. Supreme Court, which hears the case this week, ultimately will sort out.

The president wants to enforce a decision by the International Court of Justice that found the convictions of Medellin and 50 other Mexican-born prisoners violated their rights to legal help as outlined in the 1963 Vienna Convention.

That is the same court Bush has since said he plans to ignore if it makes similar decisions affecting state criminal laws.

"The president does not agree with the ICJ's interpretation of the Vienna Convention," the administration said in arguments filed with the court. This time, though, the U.S. agreed to abide by the international court's decision because ignoring it would harm American interests abroad, the government said.

Texas argues that neither the international court nor Bush has any say in Medellin's case.

Medellin was born in Mexico, but spent much of his childhood in the United States. He was 18 in June 1993, when he and other members of the Black and Whites gang in Houston encountered two teenage girls on a railroad trestle.

The girls were gang-raped and strangled. Their bodies were found four days later.

Medellin was arrested a few days later. He was told he had a right to remain silent and have a lawyer present, but the police did not tell him that he could request assistance from the Mexican consulate.

Medellin gave a written confession. He was convicted of murder in the course of a sexual assault, a capital offense in Texas. A judge sentenced him to death in October 1994.

Medellin did not raise the lack of assistance from Mexican diplomats during his trial or sentencing. When he did claim his rights had been violated, Texas and federal courts turned him down because he had not objected at his trial. Mexico later sued the United States in the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, on behalf of Medellin and 50 other Mexicans on death row in the U.S.

[Craigb]

This creep should have no rights at all. First. he is an illegal alien who has lived in this country for many years, breaking the laws as each day, month or years goes by. Obviously he has no respect for Americans, or our laws. I doubt that any money that he made in this country, was done legally. Then, him and/others in this gang, raped and killed two children. Why waste money on a trial? Put him up against a wall and blow his worthless ass off of the face of this earth! Better yet, torture him for many days, not letting him die. So now, he claims his rights have been "VIOLATED" because of what? Mexican consulate was not informed so that they could "assist" him? Assist him in what? Getting him and other mexican illegals who are on death row in this country because of their "RIGHTS"? Uhmmmmmmm, what about those two 14 year old girls rights that he raped and strangled until dead. Why does no one including our worthless president say one thing about they're rights? What about the parents rights to "JUSTICE"? And the attorney's for this mexican piece of sh-t should also be tried for aiding a known FELON, and sentenced to death right along with him! All of these mexican illegals should be hunted down and rounded up. Then put on a plane back to mexico, but instead of landing, stay at about 20,000 feet and open the door and push them out over mexico. Then, they can pray to what ever God they claim to have to EVOLVE into a higher life form! A BIRD, then they can sh-t all over the worthless country of mexico. Has this worthless president we have been bought off by other countries? Or, is he just a moron? Not to mention, a little Bi-Polar and intent on destroy our country? He seems to have been trying very hard for many years to do everything he can, to destroy this country. How long does he have left? And, what is the definition of a "Traitor"? This just makes me sick! If our government won't protect its citizens from these criminals, then it falls back on the citizens to do what ever is needed, to protect our families and our rights, including booting the illegals back to where they came from! Enough of this crap!

[Highwayman]

Here’s the problem, Houston sanctuary city. That means that cops can’t ask about legal status and you can bet the illegals ain’t volunteering it. So you can’t very well expect the cops to advise somebody about a right to request aid from the Mexican consulate.

I sincerely hope the administration is using this case to focus attention where it belongs and that is the city’s policy of thumbing it’s nose at federal immigration laws.

[wordsmythe]

The Administration is using this case to kiss the ass of the Mexican Government.