Texas Turns Aside Pressure on Execution of 5 Mexicans

New York Times ^ | July 18, 2008 | James C, McKinley, Jr.

[Zakeet]

Despite pleas from the White House and the State Department, as well as an international court order to review their cases, Texas will execute five Mexicans on death row, a spokeswoman for the governor said Thursday. The first of the executions — that of José Ernesto Medellín, 33, convicted in the 1993 rape and murder of two teenage girls here — is scheduled for Aug. 5.

The decision by Gov. Rick Perry to allow the executions is the latest twist in a long-running battle between Mexico, which has no death penalty, and the United States over the fate of 51 Mexicans facing capital punishment in several states, including 14 in Texas. On Wednesday, the International Court of Justice at The Hague ordered a review of five of the Texas cases after Mexico complained that the convicts, all men, had not been allowed a chance to talk to a Mexican consul after their arrests, as required under the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.

But that argument holds little sway in Texas, a place with a long history of upholding the death penalty and of telling other governments to mind their own business.

[Snip]

Mr. Medellín [was] one of six young men that a jury found had raped and strangled Elizabeth Peña, 16, and Jennifer Ertman, 15, in a park one night.

Mr. Medellín was 18 at the time and had lived most of his life in Texas; he signed a confession in English.

[Snip]

For relatives of the murdered girls, questions about international relations seem irrelevant.

“This has nothing to do with the World Court; it has nothing to do with the U.N.,” said Jennifer’s father, Randy Ertman. “This has everything to do with what Mexico wants, not what Texas wants. The people of Texas want the death penalty.”

[buffyt]

If you do the crime, you DO THE TIME, in Texas!

These thugs brutally kicked these two little girls to death.

They had no mercy on them.

We should have no mercy on these thugs.

I still feel as passionate about this case as the day I first heard about it. We have lived with this double murder for 15 years. It is time to rid the earth of the scum/thugs.

She was an only child, the girl in the photo, and her parents could have no more children. My heart still aches for this family.

[buffyt]

I DO!

I live in Lake Jackson Texas

[mathluv]

If they don’t want them executed, keep them in Mexico, instead of letting them come here to rape and murder.

[14erClimb]

Even though I love to talk crap about Texans that visit Colorado, I must say my repect for Texans has gone up quite a few notches.

Fry the b-tards!

[ladtx]

I’m from Texas. In Texas we have the death penalty. And we USE it.

That’s right, if you come to Texas and kill somebody, we will kill you back. That’s our policy.

They’re trying to pass a bill right now through the Texas Legislature that will speed up the process of execution in heinous crimes where there’s more than three credible eye witnesses. If more than three people saw you do what you did, you don’t sit on death row for 15 years, Jack, you go straight to the front of the line.

Other states are trying to abolish the death penalty … my state’s puttin’ in an express lane.

[whatisthetruth]

I am so glad Bush is not the governor of Texas right now, what a disappointing wuss he’s turned out to be.

[shankbear]

DON’T MESS WITH TEXAS!!!!!!

I used to do criminal defense work in Texas. There is always an excuse. It is always somebody elses fault. Boo friggin hoo.

Juice these guys up as soon as possible.

[xzins]

What really impresses me in this is that Texas has done something remarkable. It has said no to the US Gov’t, to the Mexican Gov’t, to the UN, and to the World Court.

Every entity that could claim any kind of higher state status than “Texas.”

What Texas has done is affirm that it is, in its own right, a STATE.

We are separate States that are united around a constitution.

Of all messages that the socialists among us fear, this is the one that puts a wooden stake in their hearts.

Incidentally, this is another extremely important reason why there should never be a national popular vote for president. Each state is an independent entity.

[buffyt]

This case totally changed our family. We had three kids still at home at the time. Ages 11, 12, and 14.... when we heard the details of this case, the girls were going to be late, so they took a shortcut, and ran right into these killers... so we started telling our kids “Never worry about coming home late. If you have car trouble or anything, even if you are drunk (I HOPE NOT) but to never be afraid to come home late. To call me if they needed to be picked up. To never take a dangerous route for fear of being late. Even if it was middle of the night. That we would listen to them. They might be grounded, but no big deal. I didn’t want my kids running into danger on their way home. Such BRUTAL KILLERS! It is TIME for them to GO! I still get upset and shaky just thinking of these poor girls and how they were raped and beaten and kicked to death by these monsters.

[TornadoAlley3]

God Bless Texas!

[mathluv]

Hopefully, Texas won’t give in.

[Menehune56]

We need to send these criminal aliens straight to hell - and let’s send the bill for their extended incarceration and execution to Mexico while we’re at it.

[buffyt]

Why do you like to talk trash about Texans who visit Colorado? My mother and father in law lived in Golden from 1974-2005 when Paul died. We came up there every Februray for his birthday. Why is THAT trashy? Had no idea people didn’t like us to come visit our elderly parents in Colorado! I don’t mind if Colorado citizens come to Texas. No big deal. A lot of snowbirds come here to spend the winters! We don’t mind.

We used to ski when we were there to visit the folks, and we DROPPED a lot of CASH in Colorado. Had no idea that anyone in Colorado hated us for spending money there and for caring for our elderly relatives! It is a free country. We ARE allowed to travel state to state!!!!!!!!!!!!

[deport]

This was a gang or group rape and five of them got the death penalty. Medillin has his date with the needle scheduled, another has been executed, one other is still on death row waiting his execution date and two have had their death sentences commuted to life as they were 17 at the time of the rape.

The wheels of justice turn slowly but hopefully justice will finally be meted out to the gang.

[sbMKE]

Execute them pinata style. Hang ‘em high and let anyone who wants to, give them a swat.

[Arkansas Toothpick]

Let me tell you: When the United States has long ceased to exist as society governed by the people, I believe that Texas will stand tall as one of the last bastions of freedom in the Western World.

[myself6]

We need more of this...

I like the fact that the great state of Texas told the Federal government and the international aholes to screw themselves. =)

Maybe we will see the day when a state like Texas tells the Federal socialists to go screw themselves again and finally frees its citizens from the marxist policies, taxes and fees of the federal government.

[normy]

Come on now, we joke about Colorado too. You know Colorado's motto "Colorado, where Texans come to ski".

Colorado was once part of the Texas Republic until the U.S. government took them as payment for war debt.

[Former MSM Viewer]

I, too was sickened by this crime. Living here in Houston, we know what pigs this gang was.

One girl was 14, the other 16. Killed when they stumbled upon a gang initiation accidentally.

As I remember, wasnt one of the pigs turned in by his mother?

God Bless Texas