The BBC reports, "a Mexican man whose case drew international attention has been executed in Texas for the rape and murder of a 16-year-old girl in 1993."
The International Court of Justice — the highest United Nations court — had ordered that 33 year old Jose Medellin's case, and those of fifty other Mexicans on death row, be reviewed because they had not been informed of their right to consular assistance at the time of their arrest, but unfortunately the US Supreme Court all but ignored them. President Bush actually directed Texas to comply with the ICJ but the Supreme Court justices decided 6-3 that he had overstepped his authority, and went ahead with the execution of Medellin. The others presumably remain on death row.
As the attorney general's office explained, "Texas is not bound by the World Court but by the US Supreme Court, which reviewed this matter and determined that the convicted murderer's execution shall proceed."
I don't particularly disagree with the outcome in this matter, but my opinion is irrelevant. This is yet another example of the United States blithely ignoring the direction of prominent International authorities. If the US wants to be seen as a democratic world power with the ability and will to improve life for all, then it needs to start behaving itself and working within guidelines laid down by the UN, like the rest of us try to do.
(Or are forced to do by our leaders, coughNew Labourcough.)
