The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board has vot­ed to rec­om­mend clemen­cy for death row inmate Osbaldo Torres, a Mexican for­eign nation­al who is sched­uled to be exe­cut­ed on May 18. The Board made its deci­sion after an hour-long hear­ing that includ­ed tes­ti­mo­ny from Carlos de Icaza, Mexican Ambassador to the United States. Icaza told the board that Mexico oppos­es cap­i­tal pun­ish­ment in all cas­es, and that this case was par­tic­u­lar­ly trou­ble­some because no proof was pre­sent­ed that Torres was the shoot­er in the crime. A recent rul­ing by the U.N. Court of International Justice stat­ed that the U.S. had vio­lat­ed the inter­na­tion­al treaty-pro­tect­ed rights of Torres and 50 oth­er Mexican for­eign nation­als cur­rent­ly await­ing exe­cu­tion in the United States. The Court held that the men had been denied their access to con­sular assis­tance, and ordered a fur­ther review by U.S. courts of their con­vic­tions and sen­tences. The Board’s 3 – 2 vote for clemen­cy now goes to Governor Brad Henry for con­sid­er­a­tion. (Associated Press, May 7, 2004) See Foreign Nationals. See also, Upcoming Executions.

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