World Court says US defied order in death row case

Monday, January 19, 2009 at 10:23 a.m.

THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS (AP) -- The International Court of Justice has ruled that the United States defied its order when authorities in Texas last year executed a Mexican convicted of rape and murder.

The U.N.'s highest court said the U.S. is still obliged to review the cases of about 50 other Mexicans on death row because they were denied access to their consulate after they were arrested, as required by an international treaty.

The court in its ruling Monday rejected Mexico's request that Washington provide guarantees that no further executions will be conducted without a reconsideration of their cases.

The U.S. argued that the Bush administration tried to carry out the court's demand for a review of all cases, but that it cannot compel individual state courts to comply.
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