VivirLatino

The U.S. Supreme Court did not grant a reprieve to Jose Ernesto Medellin and executed him last night based on a 1993 conviction for raping and killing two Texas teens.

“I’m sorry my actions caused you pain. I hope this brings you the closure that you seek. Never harbor hate,” Medellin, 33, told those gathered to watch him die. He was pronounced dead at 9:57 p.m. local time.

The Mexican national’s case has drawn international attention from all sides of the political spectrum. Some have taken his case as an example of all that is wrong with U.S. immigration policy and used Medellin as a scapegoat in their anti-immigrant (and let’s be real, anti-Latino) campaign.

Pro-human rights activists globally protested the impending execution, saying it was a violation of international law. Even the Bush administration, State Department, and Attorney General intervened, asking for a delay in the execution.

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