World Court rules against U.S.

Toby Sterling

Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2003 | 11:30 a.m.

THE HAGUE, Netherlands -- The United States must temporarily stay the executions of three Mexican citizens on death rows in Texas and Oklahoma, the World Court ruled today.

The ruling -- which the court cannot enforce and the United States could ignore -- said the delay was needed while the court investigated whether the men and 48 other Mexicans on death row in the United States were given their right to legal help from the Mexican government.

The 15-judge World Court, officially called the International Court of Justice, is the United Nation's body for resolving disputes between nations.

The United States has disregarded rulings in the past.

The U.S. ambassador to the Netherlands, Clifford Sobel, said the U.S. Justice Department was "studying the decision" and would comment on it as soon as possible.

The men affected by the ruling are Cesar Fierro and Roberto Ramos, in prison in Texas, and Osvaldo Torres Aguilera, in prison in Oklahoma. All men had exhausted their U.S. appeals and their execution dates were to be scheduled.

Mexico had asked the court to stay the execution of all 51 Mexicans on death row, but the court concerned itself only with the three most urgent cases.

Other Mexicans on death row are imprisoned in California, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Nevada, Ohio and Oregon.

Nevada has three known Mexicans on death row, according to the Department of Corrections: Carlos P. Gutierrez, 34; Fernando N. Hernandez, 40; and Manuel Lopez, 34.

Reading today's unanimous decision, Presiding Judge Gilbert Guillaume said the court supported Mexico's argument that executing the men would cause "irreparable" damage to their rights if the court later finds in Mexico's favor.

"The United States shall take all measures necessary to ensure that (the men) are not executed pending final judgment in these proceedings," he said.