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Supreme Court Permits Execution of Killer in International Law Dispute

Posted Aug 6, 2008, 04:57 am CST
By Debra Cassens Weiss

A convicted killer whose appeal over treaty obligations sparked several international law rulings has been put to death.

Jose Medellin was executed after the U.S. Supreme Court said in a 5-4 opinion that it would not impose a stay, the Houston Chronicle reports. He had been convicted in the strangulation and gang rape of two teenage girls.

Medellin, a Mexican national, had argued that he was not permitted to consult with Mexican consular officials in violation of U.S. treaty obligations. The International Court of Justice had issued two rulings requiring further review of the case, but the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in March that state courts could not be forced to carry out the international ruling, even though President Bush had asked Texas courts to comply with it.

Medellin’s execution was delayed about four hours yesterday while the U.S. Supreme Court considered his claims, the Associated Press reports. The Supreme Court per curiam opinion (PDF posted by SCOTUSblog) said the possibility that Texas or federal lawmakers would act to remedy the treaty violation was too remote to justify delaying the execution, SCOTUSblog reports.

The majority said Congress had the authority to make the Vienna Convention binding on the United States and it had not yet acted, according to the SCOTUSblog report. The justices also noted that the U.S. Justice Department was not seeking intervention at this stage of the case.

Dissenters argued that the execution should be delayed while the U.S. solicitor general is invited to present his views. Each dissenter issued separate opinions.

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Title: Supreme Court Permits Execution of Killer in International Law Dispute


Comments

  1. Posted by Walter - 3 months, 3 weeks, 5 days, 5 hours, 33 minutes ago

    I like Gov. Perry. He told the World court to shove it and keep out of Texas’ business..If this is what it takes to stem the flow of illegals to mexico, so be it. This monster’s crime was so heinous and vile that no one should’ve allowed him to leave the courtroom all the years ago alive. No reprieve and no regrets, thanks Gov. Perry.

  2. Posted by J.D. - 3 months, 3 weeks, 5 days, 3 hours, 42 minutes ago

    Of course, Gov. Perry also called the border fence “idiocy” only weeks after running for reelection on a strict anti-illegal immigration platform.

    He’s an open-border chump who really cannot be trusted to stand up for the rule of law.

  3. Posted by Brittanicus - 3 months, 3 weeks, 5 days, 1 hour, 1 minute ago

    Why is the world court poking its nose, in the laws of a sovereign country. After such a hideous crime In Texas he should be so lucky to live an extra 15 years. Next we will have the World court or United Nations getting involved in the ‘Sanctuary city’ murders of Jamiel Shaw and the Bologna family members in LA and San Francisco. Even President Bush acknowledged foreign intervention, so thank GOD will still have a Supreme court that recognizes our own Constitutional rights.

    If your pro-sovereignty, anti-illegal immigration you should go to NUMBERSUSA. The globalists are trying to take away the Constitutional rights of citizens and under their main agenda, will permit without any hindrance the free movement of cheap labor to enter America. The Federal SAVE ACT (H.R.4088) is our LAST HOPE to stop any compliance with the GLOBALISTS.

  4. Posted by J.D. - 3 months, 3 weeks, 4 days, 1 hour, 18 minutes ago

    Which four justices wanted to grant the murder-rapist illegal alien a stay of execution? None other than: Breyer, Ginsburg, Souter, and Stevens.

    For pictures of the victims, and a description of what the illegal alien REALLY did, go to:
    http://deathpenaltyyes.blogspot.com/2007/07/jennifer-ertman-and-elizabeth-pena-were.html

    See also,
    http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=ahe1Ucm4SHp4&refer=home


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