Oklahoma Schedules Execution of a Mexican Prisoner

On March 1, 2004, despite an International Court of Justice provisional order issued against the U.S. Government on behalf of the Government of Mexico with respect to the execution of Mexican detainees covered by the order, an Oklahoma court scheduled the execution of a Mexican detainee. The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals in a 3-2 decision set a May 18 execution date for Osbaldo Torres. Mr. Torres was sentenced to death for participating in a 1993 double murder. In 2003, the ICJ issued an order to the U.S., mandating that it not execute Mr. Torres or two other Mexican nationals pending the outcome of the litigation brought by the Government of Mexico against the U.S., alleging that the U.S. was violating international law and the rights of its nationals thereunder...[more]