Imminent Execution of Mexican National in the USA at Odds with binding ICJ Judgement

Humberto Leal García, Mexican national, was arrested in 1994, subsequently tried and finally sentenced to death in Texas, without ever having been informed about his right to seek consular assistance. As a consequence, Humberto Leal García received insufficient and poor legal representation what eventually influenced decisively the outcome of the sentence.  Humberto Leal Garcia’s case is one of several dozen cases of Mexican nationals sentenced to death in the USA which were considered in the Avena Judgement of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2004. Following a new request filed by Mexico to interpret the Avena Judgement, the ICJ stated expressively that “the obligation upon the Unites States of America not to execute Humberto Leal García pending review and reconsideration being afforded to [him] is fully intact.”

The President of the ICDP Mr Federico Mayor sent a letter to the Governor of Texas Mr Rick Perry requesting him to stay the execution of Mr Humberto Leal García, whose execution is scheduled to take place on 7 July 2011.