Really Condi??

16-year-old Elizabeth Pena and 15-year-old Jennifer Ertman did not deserve to die in 1993. At around 11:15 on June 24 the two girls, who had been best friends in school, left another friends home and headed back to their homes. Because the city curfew was at 11:30, and they wanted to make it home as quickly as possible, they took a shortcut. The path they followed went down railroad tracks and through a neighborhood park close to Elizabeth's home, but neither of the girls ever made it home.

Four days after the girls disappeared, a person identifying himself as 'Gonzalez' called the Crimestoppers Tips number. He told the call taker that the missing girls' bodies could be found near T.C. Jester Park at White Oak bayou. The police were sent to the scene and searched the park without finding anything. The police helicopter was flying over the park and this apparently prompted Mr. 'Gonzalez' to make a 911 call, directing the search to move to the other side of the bayou. When the police followed this suggestion, they found the badly decaying bodies of Jenny and Elizabeth.

The following is a description of what these two young teenagers suffered through prior to their deaths, and while sexual assaults are often presented here, I must tell you that the quoted information is both graphic and disturbing- but I'm quoting it because it is needed to point out the complete inhumanity by the individuals involved, and the extremely heinous and disturbing nature of their actions.

For the next hour or so, these beautiful, innocent young girls were subjected to the most brutal gang rapes that most of the investigating officers had ever encountered. The confessions of the gang members that were used at trial indicated that there was never less than 2 men on each of the girls at any one time and that the girls were repeatedly raped orally, anally and vaginally for the entire hour. One of the gang members later said during the brag session that by the time he got to one of the girls, "she was loose and sloppy." One of the boys boasted of having 'virgin blood' on him.

[...]

When the rapes finally ended, the horror was not over. The gang members took Jenny and Elizabeth from the clearing into a wooded area, leaving the juvenile behind, saying he was "too little to watch". Jenny was strangled with the belt of Sean O'Brien, with two murderers pulling, one on each side, until the belt broke. Part of the belt was left at the murder scene, the rest was found in O'Brien's home. After the belt broke, the killers used her own shoelaces to finish their job. Medellin later complained that "the bitch wouldn't die" and that it would have been "easier with a gun". Elizabeth was also strangled with her shoelaces, after crying and begging the gang members not to kill them; bargaining, offering to give them her phone number so they could get together again.

The website quoted from has done an excellent job presenting the story of these two stolen girls, and highlighting the ongoing fight to ensure that these girls and their families receive the justice. You must read the entire thing.

The reason I've mentioned all of this is because, one of the men convicted in this brutal, extremely horrifying case is set to face his maker, via the death penalty from the state of Texas.

Unless the White House gets their say in it.

You see, José Ernesto Medellín, one of the men convicted for these crimes is a Mexican National. And though old Mexico doesn't have a problem with sending their deviants here, they do have a problem with us punishing them for their crimes.

Mexico had appealed to the World Court to block the executions. At hastily convened hearings last month, Mexico argued that the United States is defying a 2004 International Court of Justice order to review the cases of 51 Mexicans sentenced to death by state courts.

That order was based on the Hague-based court's finding that the condemned prisoners had been denied the right to help from their consulate following their arrest.

And now, because Mexico has more regard for the life of a cold blooded killer and rapist than the victims that they attacked and murdered, OUR White House is playing kiss ass to them, and asking Texas to back down.

Earlier, President Bush issued a directive to the state courts to abide by the decision and also asked Texas specifically to review Medellin's case ahead of his planned Aug. 5 execution.

Those steps were "highly unusual," Bellinger said. "It almost never happens that the federal government enters an appearance in state court proceedings."

However, Texas refused, and in March the U.S. Supreme Court ruled by a 6-3 vote that Bush lacked the authority to compel state courts to comply with the judgment from The Hague.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Attorney General Michael Mukasey have jointly written to Texas Gov. Rick Perry, urging him to review Medellin's case, Bellinger said.

I keep rereading that, and I keep thinking to myself "Just what the fuck?!?!?". I mean, who does Condi look out for? I had thought she was a representative of the people of the United States of America... just when did she start putting the interests of Mexico before those of the US?

I know, this is all about politics, because when it comes down to it- everything is about politics. But, I'm compelled to believe this is a time when we owe it to the victims, to their memories and to their families to demand that those we helped place in office remember what nation they serve, and whose people they are accountable to. You can call the White House at 202-456-1414, and ensure then that we are watching, and we are wanting justice.