August 6, 2008, New York –  In response to the execution in Texas today of Mexican citizen Jose Medellin, Center for Constitutional Rights Executive Director Vincent Warren issued the following statement:

“This is a sad day when U.S. courts flatly refuse to abide by international law, even when a human life is at stake. Jose Medellin was denied the right to meet with an official from the Mexican consulate while being detained in Texas until he was executed – it is easy to imagine what the U.S. would say if an American citizen were executed by another government without being able to exercise the right to speak to the U.S. embassy. When will we learn that we are setting a dangerous example for the rest of the world and putting ourselves in danger as a result? As citizens of an increasingly interconnected world, it is critical that all nations, the United States especially, recognize and incorporate the norms of the international community into their systems of justice.”