Yep, Texas has killed again!  This time it happened despite a bunch of procedural issues AND the President of the United States being against it.

From a blog post at WSJ.com:

Texas Executes Leal Despite White House Objections

July 8, 2011, 8:27 AM ET

By Nathan Koppel

Texas yesterday executed Mexican national Humberto Leal for raping and murdering a teenager despite complaints from the White House and diplomats that the execution violated U.S. treaty obligations.

In his final words, Leal accepted responsibility, saying, “I have hurt a lot of people,” according to this A.P. report  As the execution drugs began to take effect, Leal twice added: “Viva Mexico” (Here’s another account of the execution scene from the Huntsville (TX) Item.)

The Supreme Court yesterday denied Leal’s objection to the execution on the grounds that Texas law enforcement officials failed to advise him of his rights, under the 1963 Vienna Convention, to get assistance from his home country’s consulate or embassy.

Here’s a report from WSJ, which notes that Texas and other states routinely have failed to advise foreigners of their consular rights as required under the Vienna treaty.

So much for a just trial, huh?  But who needs standards? It’s not like he was using foul language in his last statement or anything… that reminds me of something motherjones just posted about:

markcoatney:

Apparently in Texas it’s OK for the state to execute 471 people since 1982, but it’s not OK for them to curse about it. 

At least they stopped publishing their final meals…

One of my favorite double standards! To stop some from killing we kill them.  This despite the very fallible United States Justice System convicting the wrong people on occasion.

We just sent four humans into space and we still kill people as punishment.  Well done, humanity.

(Source: tdcj.state.tx.us)