Foreign Nationals

Case Outcomes of Foreign Nationals

As of April 29, 2024

Information provided by Mark Warren of Human Rights Research

Foreign Nationals Released on Grounds of Innocence

NameVCCR ClaimNationalityStateDateConsular Intervention
Roberto Miranda Cuba Nevada Sep-96 NO
Ricardo Aldape Guerra # Mexico Texas Apr-97 YES
Joaquin Martinez (acquitted after retrial) # Spain Florida Jun-01 YES
Michael BlairThailandTexasAug-08?
Gabriel Solache # Mexico Illinois Dec-17 YES
Vicente Benavides Figueroa # Mexico California Apr-18 YES
Clemente Aguirre Jarquin Honduras Florida Nov-18 YES

Executive Clemency for Death-Sentenced Foreign Nationals

NameVCCR ClaimNationalityStateDateStatusConsular Intervention
Gerardo Valdez Maltos # Mexico Oklahoma Jun. 16, 2001 30-day reprieve YES
Gerardo Valdez Maltos # Mexico Oklahoma Aug. 17, 2001 30-day reprieve (death sentence vacated on appeal) YES
Osbaldo Torres Aguilera # Mexico Oklahoma May 13, 2004 Life without parole YES
Hung Thanh Le # Vietnam Oklahoma Feb. 25, 2004 30-day reprieve (later executed) YES
Juan Alonso Caballero Hernandez # Mexico Illinois Jan. 11, 2003 Life without parole YES
Gabriel Solache Romero # Mexico Illinois Jan. 11, 2003 Life without parole YES
Mario Flores Urban # Mexico Illinois Jan. 11, 2003 40 years (since released and deported; possibly innocent) YES
Evan Griffith # Belize Illinois Jan. 11, 2003 Life without parole ?
Gregory Madej # Poland Illinois Jan. 11, 2003 Life without parole YES
Oswaldo Regalado Soriano # Mexico Texas Jun. 22, 2005 Juvenile death sentence reduced to life imprisonment, under Roper v. Simmons YES
Abelardo Arboleda Ortiz # Colombia Federal Jan. 17, 2017 Federal death sentence commuted to life without parole YES
Ivan Teleguz # Ukraine Virginia Apr. 20, 2017 Life imprisonment ?
Horacio Alberto Reyes Camarena#MexicoOregonDec. 13, 2022Commuted to life without paroleYES
Ricardo Serrano PiñedaMexicoOregonDec. 13, 2022Commuted to life without paroleYES

Noteworthy Court Decisions

NameNationalityStateDateStatusConsular Intervention
Jesus Rodriguez JimenezMexicoArizonaArizona Supreme Court, 8/7/1990Death sentence reduced to life imprisonment without possibility of parole for 35 years, for state’s failure to establish ‘especially cruel’ aggravating factorYES
Francisco Cardenas ArreolaMexicoTexasTexas Court of Criminal Appeals, 6/1993Death sentence reversed on appeal; resentenced to life imprisonmentYES
Aurelio BarajasMexicoIdahoAgreement with prosecutor, 1995Death sentence vacated due to incompetence to stand trial; negotiated life sentenceYES
Gonzalo Marquez MarquezMexicoCaliforniaCalifornia Supreme Court, 1/23/2002Death sentence vacated for ineffective assistance of counsel (failure to conduct thorough mitigation investigation in Mexico). Resentenced to life imprisonmentYES
Bernardino Zuniga ZunigaMexicoNorth CarolinaN. Carolina Supreme Court, 5/8/1998Death sentence vacated for intellectual disability mitigating factor; serving life sentenceYES
Gerardo Valdez MaltosMexicoOklahomaCourt of Criminal Appeals, 5/1/2002Sentence vacated for ineffective assistance; later resentenced to lifeYES
Kwan Fai MakHong KongWashingtonTrial court, 4/30/2002; 5/20/2002Sentence vacated for ineffective assistance and due process violations; 13 LIFE SENTENCES?
Gregory MadejPolandIllinoisFederal District Court, 3/10/2002Sentence vacated for ineffective assistance; NEW SENTENCING HEARING ORDERED (later commuted)YES
Julio MoraSpainFloridaState Supreme Court 1/25/2002; Trial court 9/4/2002Sentence reversed due to erroneous application of Koon v. Dugger; LIFE SENTENCEYES
Hector BarrowGuyanaDelawareSuperior Court, 1/4/2002Sentence reversed for Confrontation Clause violation; LIFE SENTENCE after new penalty hearing?
Krishna MaharajUnited KingdomFloridaTrial court, 3/27/2002New penalty hearing; LIFE SENTENCEYES
Ramon Martinez VillarealMexicoArizonaSuperior Court, 09/20/2002Death sentence VACATED, due to intellectual disabilityYES
Toribio Rodriguez RodriguezMexicoArizonaTrial court, 1/28/2003Conviction reversed on appeal; mistrial; 25 years to life, in exchange for guilty pleaYES
Gerardo Valdez MaltosMexicoOklahomaAgreement with Prosecutor, 11/16/2003Plea agreement to avoid re-sentencing hearing; LIFE SENTENCEYES
Kajornsak PrasertphongThailandArizonaArizona Supreme Court, 9/15/2003Death sentence VACATED under Ring v. Arizona, remanded for new sentencing hearing (re-sentenced to life)?
Osbaldo Torres AguileraMexicoOklahomaCourt of Criminal Appeals, 5/13/2004Stay of execution, evidentiary hearing on: Vienna Convention claim; ineffective assistance (sentence also commuted)YES
Jose Jacobo Amaya RuizEl SalvadorArizonaSuperior Court, 7/9/2004Sentence vacated due to intellectual disability; LIFE SENTENCE imposed (parole eligible after 25 years)YES
Raphael Camargo OjedaMexicoArkansasfederal district court, 8/12/2004Prosecution stipulated to intellectual disability in exchange for waiver of further appeals, based on Vienna Convention claim. Negotiated LIFE SENTENCE.YES
Gilberto MartinezCubaOklahomaTrial court, 8/24/2004Prosecution stipulated to intellectual disability in exchange for waiver of further appeals. Negotiated LIFE SENTENCE.?
Kenneth RicheyUnited KingdomOhioSixth Circuit, 1/25/2005Conviction and sentence REVERSED on appeal; sentence REINSTATED on appeal by U.S. Supreme Court (11/28/5), for further review by lower courts of procedural obstacles to reliefYES
Osbaldo Torres AguileraMexicoOklahomaCourt of Criminal Appeals, 9/6/2005affirming trial court finding of prejudice for consular rights violation and commutation to LIFE SENTENCEYES
Peter SakariasEstoniaCaliforniaCalifornia Supreme Court, 3/3/2005Death sentence vacated due to prosecutorial misconduct (arguing conflicting theories in co-defendant case)?
Tonatihu Aguilar SaucedoMexicoArizonaMaricopa County Superior CourtJuvenile death sentence reduced to life, under Roper v. SimmonsYES
Martín Raúl Fong SotoMexicoArizonaPima County Superior Court, 2/21/2006Juvenile death sentence reduced to life, under Roper v. SimmonsYES
Lynford BlackwoodJamaicaFloridaFlorida Supreme Court, 10/12/2006Death sentence reversed on appeal due to ineffective assistance of trial counsel (failure to develop and present mental health mitigation evidence). Re-sentenced to LIFE IMPRISONMENT, 4/20/2007?
Isidro Marquez BurrolaMexicoOklahomaCourt of Criminal Appeals, 4/17/2007Death sentence modified to LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE due to ineffective assistance, where trial counsel failed to seek court funding for mitigation investigation and refused assistance offered by Mexican government through Mexican Capital Legal Assistance Program (MCLAP).YES
Jesús Álvarez GarcíaMexicoIllinoisTrial court, 3/9/2007Death sentence vacated and resentenced to natural lifeYES
Kenneth RicheyUnited KingdomOhioAgreement with prosecutor, entered 12/20/2007Death sentence and conviction reversed on appeal; plea bargain whereby Richey was RELEASED in exchange for time served and entry of no contest plea to charge of involuntary manslaughter.YES
Daniel Angel PlataMexicoTexasCourt of Criminal Appeals, 1/16/2008Death sentence reduced to LIFE IMPRISONMENT on grounds of intellectual disability.YES
Constantino Carrera MontenegroMexicoCaliforniaU.S. District Court, 3/13/2008Death sentence set aside due to prosecutorial misconduct. Resentenced in 2015 to consecutive terms of 25 years to life.YES
Michael BlairThailandTexas366th District Court, 5/23/2008Recommended REVERSAL of death sentence and conviction, after prosecution conceded that key forensic evidence has been disproved by new DNA testing. Charge dismissed in August 2008?
Rudi ApeltGermanyArizonaMaricopa County Superior Court, 5/21/2009Death sentence reversed on grounds of intellectual disability, resentenced to life.YES
Hector Juan AyalaMexicoCaliforniaNinth Circuit, 8/20/2012Conviction reversed for discriminatory jury selection; on appeal, the US Supreme Court REINSTATED the conviction in 2015 (Davis v. Ayala)YES
Dieter RiechmannGermanyFloridaFlorida Circuit Court, 3/19/2010Death sentence reduced to LIFE IMPRISONMENT, following reversal on appeal and remand for new sentencing hearingYES
Manuel OrtizEl SalvadorLouisianaLouisiana 24th District Court, 8/19/2011Death sentence reduced to LIFE IMPRISONMENT, for prosecutorial misconduct (death sentence later reinstated; see below)YES
Erickson Dimas MartinezEl SalvadorArkansasArkansas Supreme Court, 12/8/2011NEW TRIAL ordered for juror misconduct (later resentenced to LWOP)YES
Abdul AwkalLebanonOhioOhio Supreme Court, 6/18/2012INDEFINITE STAY of execution, on grounds of mental incompetence?
Miguel Angel BacigalupoPeruCaliforniaCalifornia Supreme Court, 8/27/2012Death sentence reversed for prosecutorial misconductYES
Carlos Perez GutierrezMexicoNevadaNevada Supreme Court, 9/19/2012Remanded for evidentiary hearing to determine prejudice resulting from denial of consular notification rightsYES
Manuel OrtizEl SalvadorLouisianaLouisiana Supreme Court, 1/29/2013Death sentence REINSTATEDYES
Virgilio Maldonado RodriguezMexicoTexasTexas Court of Criminal Appeals, 5/22/2013Death sentence reduced to LIFE IMPRISONMENT, on grounds of intellectual disabilityYES
Joaquin ArevaloEl SalvadorFloridaTrial Court
09/2013
Death sentence reversed for ineffective assistance of counsel; resentenced to life with parole (03/2014)YES
Cam LyVietnamPennsylvaniaCourt of Common Pleas, 12/12/2013Resentenced to life
?
Bernardo Aban TerceroNicaraguaTexasTexas Court of Criminal Appeals, 8/25/2015Execution STAYED and case remanded to address claim that key prosecution witness gave false testimony at trialYES
Michael ApeltGermanyArizonaU.S. District Court, 12/1/2015Death sentence reversed for ineffective assistance at penalty phase; (reversed on appeal by Ninth Circuit, 12/28/2017)YES
Hector Garcia TorresMexicoTexasTexas Court of Criminal Appeals 12/16/2015; resentenced 2/4/2016Death sentence reversed for ineffective assistance; resentenced on a plea agreement to LIFE IMPRISONMENT with parole eligibility.YES
Pablo IbarSpainFloridaFlorida Supreme Court, 2/4/2016Conviction overturned for ineffective assistance, in light of the ‘scant evidence’ connecting Ibar to the murder.YES
Daniel Covarrubias SanchezMexicoCaliforniaCalifornia Supreme Court, 9/8/2016Sentence reversed and remanded for new penalty hearing, due to jury selection errorYES
Thao Tan LamVietnamLouisianaLouisiana Supreme CourtNEW TRIAL ordered for inadequate interpretation; resentenced to 50 year term (02/2019) 
Clemente Aguirre JarquinHondurasFloridaFlorida Supreme Court, 10/27/2016NEW TRIAL ordered based on newly-discovered evidence of actual innocenceYES
Daniel Covarrubias SanchezMexicoCaliforniaCalifornia Supreme Court, 9/8/2016Death sentence REVERSED for improper jury selection; subsequently resentenced to LWOP after prosecutor opted not to seek death penaltyYES
Lancelot Uriley ArmstrongJamaicaFloridaFlorida Supreme Court, 1/19/2017Death sentence VACATED under Hurst v. State because sentencing jury did not unanimously recommend death penalty, remanded for new sentencing hearing?
Tai PhamVietnamFloridaTrial court, 3/22/2017Death sentence VACATED under Hurst v. State because sentencing jury did not unanimously recommend death penalty, new sentencing hearing ordered?
Dolan DarlingBahamasFloridaTrial court, 3/29/2017Death sentence VACATED under Hurst v. State because sentencing jury did not unanimously recommend death penalty, new sentencing hearing ordered?
Dane AbdoolTrinidadFloridaFlorida Supreme Court, 4/16/2017Death sentence VACATED under Hurst v. State because sentencing jury did not unanimously recommend death penalty, remanded for new sentencing hearing?
Pedro Hernandez-AlbertoMexicoFloridaTrial court, 5/9/2017Death sentence VACATED under Hurst v. State because sentencing jury did not unanimously recommend death penalty, new sentencing hearing orderedYES
Noel DoorbalTrinidadFloridaFlorida Supreme Court, 9/20/2017Death sentence VACATED under Hurst v. State because sentencing jury did not unanimously recommend death penalty, remanded for new sentencing hearing?
Hector Medina RomeroEl SalvadorTexasCourt of Criminal Appeals, 10/04/2017Death sentence reversed for ineffective assistance of counsel; resentenced to LWOP (07/13/2020) 
Ana Maria CardonaCubaFloridaTrial court
12/14/2017
RESENTENCED to life imprisonment after retrial, following reversal for improper prosecutorial argument?
Tauno WaidlaEstoniaCaliforniaU.S. District Court for the Central District of California, 12/23/2017Death sentence REVERSED for ineffective assistance of counsel for failing to investigate and present mitigating evidenceYES
Vicente Benavides FigueroaMexicoCaliforniaCalifornia Supreme Court, 3/12/2018Conviction and death sentence REVERSED for introduction of false forensic evidence at trialYES
Jose EchavarriaCubaNevadaNinth Circuit, 7/25/2018Conviction and death sentence reversal AFFIRMED, on grounds of potential judicial bias under Tumey v. Ohio?
Pedro Hernandez AlbertoMexicoFloridaTrial court, 8/31/2018RESENTENCED to 2 concurrent life sentences, following reversal under Hurst v. StateYES
Clemente Aguirre JarquinHondurasFloridaTrial court,11/5/2018Prosecution DROPPED all charges, following new evidence that further undermined case for retrialYES
Michael ApeltGermanyArizonaNinth Circuit, 10/12/2018Appeal of death sentence reversal DENIED en banc, over 3 dissenting votesYES
Lam LuongVietnamAlabamaTrial court, 10/15/2018RESENTENCED to life without parole following joint state and defense submission, on grounds of intellectual disability?
Ahmad Fawzi IssaJordanOhioSixth Circuit, 8/21/2018Conviction VACATED due to inadmissible testimony used at trial, under Ohio v. Roberts?
Dora Gudiño Zamudio (Dora Buenrostro)MexicoCaliforniaCalifornia Supreme Court, 12/3/2018Death sentence REVERSED for jury selection error under Witherspoon, remanded for new penalty hearingYES
Pablo IbarSpainFloridaTrial court, 05/22/2019RESENTENCED to life imprisonment after retrial.YES
Avram Vineto NikaSerbiaNevadaU.S. District Court, 6/12/2019Death sentence REVERSED for trial counsel’s failure to obtain consular assistance in gathering mitigating evidenceYES
Dora Gudiño Zamudio (Dora Buenrostro)MexicoCaliforniaCalifornia Superior Court, 8/1/2019RESENTENCED to life without parole, after prosecution elected not to seek death penaltyYES
Carlos Avena GuillenMexicoCaliforniaNinth Circuit, 8/8/2019Death sentence REVERSED for trial counsel’s failure to develop and present mitigating evidenceYES
Joel Randu Escalante OrozcoMexicoArizonaSuperior Court, 9/27/2019RESENTENCED to life imprisonment by sentencing agreement, following remand under Lynch v. ArizonaYES
Cesar Roberto Fierro ReynaMexicoTexasCourt of Criminal Appeals, 12/18/2019Death sentence VACATED under Penry v. Lynaugh, for jury’s inability to properly consider mitigating evidenceYES
Cesar Roberto Fierro ReynaMexicoTexasImmigration Court, 5/13/2020Removal order issued (deported to Mexico on 5/14/2020)YES
Carlos Avena GuillenMexicoCaliforniaSuperior Court, 6/26/2020RESENTENCED to life without parole, after prosecution elected not to seek new death sentenceYES
Juan Lizcano RuizMexicoTexasCourt of Criminal Appeals, 9/16/2020RESENTENCED to life without parole, on grounds of intellectual disabilityYES
Gilmar Alexander GuevarraEl SalvadorTexasCourt of Criminal Appeals, 9/23/2020RESENTENCED to life with parole eligibility after 40 years on grounds of intellectual disabilityYES
Carlos Perez GutierrezMexicoNevadaNevada Supreme Court, 12/04/2020Death sentence reversal AFFIRMED, due to consular rights violation resulting in ineffective assistance of counselYES
Areli Escobar CarbajalMexicoTexasTrial court 12/31/2020New trial recommended due to unreliable DNA testingYES
Areli Escobar CarbajalMexicoTexasCourt of Criminal Appeals,
01/26/2022
Rejecting recommendation for new trialYES
Avram Vineto NikaSerbiaNevadaNinth Circuit, 09/15/2022Denial of habeas corpus petition on guilt stage issues 
Alfredo Valdéz ReyesMexicoCaliforniaSuperior Court 09/28/2022Death sentence vacated as excessive, RESENTENCED to life without paroleYES
Areli Escobar CarbajalMexicoTexasU.S. Supreme Court 01/09/2023Remanded “for further consideration in light of the confession of error by Texas”YES
Carlos Perez GutierrezMexicoNevadaTrial court
01/30/2023
Withdrawal of intent to seek death penalty, in exchange for waiver of jury resentencing
 
YES
Carlos Perez GutierrezMexicoNevadaTrial court
05/15/2023
RESENTENCED to life without paroleYES
Tauno WaidlaEstoniaCaliforniaNinth Circuit
05/23/2023
Death sentence reversal AFFIRMED,  for ineffective assistance of counsel: failing to investigate and present foreign mitigating evidenceYES
Samuel Zamudio JimenezMexicoCaliforniaTrial court,
10/03/2023
RESENTENCED to life without parole, due to intellectual disabilityYES
Syed RabbaniBangladeshTexasTrial court, 11/14/2023RESENTENCED to life with parole, for improper jury instruction on mitigating factors?
Abelino Manrriquez JacquezMexicoCalifornia

Trial Court,

09/13/2023

RESENTENCED to life with parole, on prosecutor’s recommendationYES

Case Totals by Final Outcome

OutcomeTotal
Exonerated7
 
Sentence Reduced68
Commuted10
Intellectual disability12
Ineffective assistance12
Prosecutorial misconduct5
Juvenile3
Mentally incompetent2
Jury instruction3
Jury selection2
Vacated under Ring v. Arizona1
Other18
 
Conviction Vacated, No New Death Sentence7
Ineffective assistance1
Juror misconduct1
Inadequate interpreter1
Other4
 
Deceased45
Executed34
Died awaiting final case disposition11
 
Awaiting Retrial or Resentencing5
Still Under Active Death Sentence101
Total Known Cases233

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