Mexican National Facing Death Penalty in Texas Tonight

The U.S. Supreme Court today is considering the fate of a Mexican national sentenced to death. Humberto Leal Garcia, convicted of rape and murder in 1994, is scheduled to be executed tonight in Texas. Both the U.S. and Mexican governments have filed amicus briefs urging the Court to stay the execution.   Garcia claims that his rights under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, which requires law enforcement officials to inform foreign nationals of their right to have consular officials notified of their arrest, were violated.

UPDATE  A 5-4 Supreme Court failed to stay the execution and Garcia was executed at 6:21 CT.

KJ