Post by CCADP on Apr 16, 2006 14:55:36 GMT -5
Mexican human rights official asks Texas to spare Mexican on death row.
Full Text: COPYRIGHT 2006 COMTEX News Network, Inc.
MEXICO CITY, Apr 10, 2006 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- Head of Mexico's National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) on Monday appealed the U.S. state of Texas to spare a mentally handicapped Mexican citizen of death penalty.
Jose Luis Soberanes said he had sent an appeal on Monday to Rissie Owens, head of Texas' pardons and conditional liberty board, explaining that Angle Maturino Resendiz is mentally retarded.
The Mexican official asked the board to persuade Texas governor Rick Perry to suspend the death sentence decreed by judge William Harmon against Maturino on May 22, 2000 for his murder of 39-year-old Dr. Claudia Benton. His execution is scheduled for May 10.
Maturino's lawyers are trying to bring an appeal on the ground of his mental incapacity before Houston's County Court, Soberanes said.
He said that if Texas makes the decision to pardon Maturino, it will be "recognized by the international community as an unequivocal sign that the Texas government recognized the fundamental rights of the human being."
Copyright 2006 XINHUA NEWS AGENCY.
Article A144356443
Full Text: COPYRIGHT 2006 COMTEX News Network, Inc.
MEXICO CITY, Apr 10, 2006 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- Head of Mexico's National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) on Monday appealed the U.S. state of Texas to spare a mentally handicapped Mexican citizen of death penalty.
Jose Luis Soberanes said he had sent an appeal on Monday to Rissie Owens, head of Texas' pardons and conditional liberty board, explaining that Angle Maturino Resendiz is mentally retarded.
The Mexican official asked the board to persuade Texas governor Rick Perry to suspend the death sentence decreed by judge William Harmon against Maturino on May 22, 2000 for his murder of 39-year-old Dr. Claudia Benton. His execution is scheduled for May 10.
Maturino's lawyers are trying to bring an appeal on the ground of his mental incapacity before Houston's County Court, Soberanes said.
He said that if Texas makes the decision to pardon Maturino, it will be "recognized by the international community as an unequivocal sign that the Texas government recognized the fundamental rights of the human being."
Copyright 2006 XINHUA NEWS AGENCY.
Article A144356443