Texas executed someone after the President said stop

Added: 2026-05-22

[00:00:00]Can a state [music] execute someone after the president says stop? Texas did and told the president no drop your state below. 2008 Jose Medí convicted of murder in Texas on death row. [music] The International Court of Justice ordered the US to review his case.

[00:00:15]Mexico demanded [music] it. The world court ruled Texas had violated his rights. President George W. Bush, a Texan himself, ordered Texas to comply, told them to halt the execution. [music] Texas said no. Governor Rick Perry refused. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals refused. Texas doesn't answer to international courts or presidents.

[00:00:34][music] August 5th, 2008, Texas executed Joseé Medí anyway. The president couldn't stop it. The [music] world court couldn't stop it. Mexico couldn't stop it. This created an international incident.

[00:00:46]Mexico [music] was furious. The UN condemned it. Legal experts said Texas violated international law. [music] Texas said, "We follow Texas law, not international law, not even presidential orders when it comes to our criminal justice