Supreme Court rules against death row Mexicans

The U.S. Supreme Court (USSC) has ruled that states do not have to provide hearings to Mexican nationals who are on death row. By a 6-3 vote, the court’s verdict found that U.S. President George W. Bush overstepped his authority by trying to force Texas to abide by a 2004 International Court of Justice (ICJ) decision.

As the New York Times noted:

Writing for the majority, (USSC) Chief Justice John Roberts said that neither the defendant nor his supporters “have identified a single nation that treats I.C.J. judgments as binding in domestic courts”… (and that) “the president’s authority to act, as with the exercise of any governmental power, ‘must stem either from an act of Congress or from the Constitution itself.’ ”

Mexico’s government had previously advocated in favor of the ICJ’s decision since Mexico is opposed to capital punishment.

Sources- Bloomberg, New York Times, Associated Press, BBC News

Image- Gizmodo