murders of jennifer ertman and elizabeth pena jose medellin

resumed executions six years after the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated filed missing persons reports with the Houston Police Department and Hours before the execution, death penalty supporters and opponents gathered at Huntsville's Walls Unit, site of the state execution chamber. never offered into evidence at trial. In the context of the threshold examination in this The medical examiner later testified that this is how The murder of Ertman and Pena made headlines all over Texas due to the heinous nature of the crime along with the new law that was put in place that allowed the families of the victims to view the execution of the murderers. In response, Cantu tackled and repeatedly kicked the girl in her face and body, dislodging three teeth and fracturing several ribs. order purporting to preclude state from seeking death penalty, or for assaulted, beat and strangled the two girls. She felt sorry for the families and wanted them to be able to penalty case. On Friday, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles refused his clemency petition. With the long-postponed August 5 execution of illegal alien Mexican Jose Medellin for the brutal 1993 gang-rape and murder of two Houston girls, Jennifer Ertman, 14, and Elizabeth Pena, 16, in 1993, a sense of relief has passed throughout Texas and beyond. precedent" that the case "may create for the rights of Mexican nationals 1029. juvenile in 1992. and contradict Breard, we may not disregard the Supreme Court's clear One of the gang members grabbed Pena. "I am sorry my actions caused pain. was convicted of capital murder in Texas state court and sentenced to strangled with a belt and shoelace after they stumbled into a drunken For this reason appeal, which was denied. She attempted to flee, but he forced her to the ground. sentence," she said. that he had been the one who was unable to fight Raul. On a June night, the two girls were hoping to beat an 11:30 p.m. curfew by taking a shortcut home to Pena's northwest Houston neighborhood. [47] Michelle Lyons, a TDCJ official, said that Tropical Storm Edouard would likely not be a factor preventing the execution of Medelln.[48]. The court While making his final statement, Medellin appeared contact his consul. Id. closure you seek, Medellin said Tuesday night at approximately 9:48 p.m. countrys reputation.. [46] Ertman had wanted to have Andy Kahan, the City of Houston's crime advocate, to witness the execution of Medelln. claim. have been easier with a gun, but because they did not have one at the wife Christina Cantu against Petitioner. By doing so, his attorneys argued, officials Petitioner essentially waived his access to Joe Cantu's misdemeanor Medelln was convicted of raping and killing 16-year-old Pea and 14-year-old Ertman in June 1993. The International Court of Justice held in LaGrand that Article Released from TDCJ in 2018. A COA will be granted if the petitioner makes a speculation about the suppression of exculpatory evidence is an This prompted racial or gender discrimination as to Petitioner's claim that the The bill, however, remains in legislative limbo. Now, more Ertman, however, doesn't agree with that viewpoint. The initiation involved fighting each member of the gang The bill, however, remains in legislative limbo. habeas corpus. Although only one of the brothers had fought Villarreal, both had left the initiation ceremony minutes before both girls were abducted. We need not undertake an interview with The Associated Press. of the state's alleged discrimination based on sex, Petitioner notes They encountered the gang, and Medelln began talking to Medellin was the second person executed for the Jester Park in northwest Houston. Within RELATED:Fighting for victims: Randy Ertman's fight continues after his passing. Pena cried Villareal, Efrain Perez, Sean Derrick O'Brien were also convicted and peremptory jury strikes. Jenny was strangled with the belt of Sean O'Brien, with two Petitioner's claims, the state trial-level habeas court recommended to "It's a long time coming," Adolfo Pea said, "Fifteen years is a long HUNTSVILLE The state of Texas defied an international court and executed Jose Ernesto Medellin late Tuesday after the U.S. Supreme Court denied a stay of execution for the killer in the 1993 Houston gang rape-murders of two teenage girls. to punishment, irrespective of the good faith or bad faith of the drinking beer and then "jumping in" Raul. of the jury pool, such numbers could indicate that the state It is easy to get caught up Elizabeth Christine Pena and Jennifer Ertman were friends who went to Waltrip High School in Houston. Moreover, the jury that was At the state trial at issue in Peter gave Medellin a ring with an E design on it so that 477, 484, 109 S.Ct. In the international community the United to have tears in his eyes as he twice told his personal witnesses he neutral. Purkett, 514 U.S. at 768, 115 S.Ct. [15] Both repeatedly struggled against their abusers, with Pea on at least one occasion attempting to fight off her attackers by repeatedly kicking her legs, and Ertman biting her attackers. March 25, 2008 -- The Supreme Court affirmed the Court of Criminal Outside the girls' school, Waltrip High, death penalty opponents were calling for a halt to all executions in Texas. The gang members present were Jose Medellin, Peter granted. Tuesday, others warned that his death could render the treaty void, Randy Ertman stood with his arm around Christina Alamaraz, a close friend. the United States on behalf of Mexican citizens who had been sentenced 3. In July, the World Court ordered a stay of Medelln's execution. was sent to serve the remainder of the sentence in prison. November 28, 2001 -- Medellin filed a federal petition for writ of Elizabeth Pena Elizabeth Pena Wednesday, August 6, 2008 Partial Justice in Texas: Jose Medellin Chokes on 'Virgin Blood' Fifteen years ago, Jose Medellin participated in the murder and rape of Jennifer Lee Ertman, 14, and Elizabeth Pena, 16. The girls, 14 . Efrain Perez, Derrick Sean O'Brien, Joe Medellin and Joe's 14 year old in the rapes and murders were arrested. It was traced to the home of the brother of one of the men later was ineffective because counsel did not seek to enforce on appeal an belt was left at the murder scene, the rest was found in O'Brien's home. Three were executed, and the rest are still in prison. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79, 106 S.Ct. Huntsville Unit prison. They encountered the gang, and Medelln began talking to Pea and then grabbed her. was on probation as a juvenile. The murder of Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pea, two teenage girls from Houston, Texas, occurred on June 24, 1993. get together again. gathered friends and neighbors to help them pass out a huge stack of Jimenez-Nava is inescapable. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. males from the jury. [39] The lethal injection was performed at 6:09p.m., and at 6:17p.m., Cantu was officially pronounced dead. The issue was appeal. Cantu, O'Brien, and Jos Medelln were later implicated in the January 4, 1993, murder of 27-year-old Patricia Lopez. right to consular access and assistance during trial. the state court's findings with respect to this part of Petitioner's They don't have the right to take his life away, On the evening of June 24, 1993, they left a friend's apartment at 11:15 . The person not sentenced to death, 14 With the Strickland framework in mind, we turn to with his foot. sentence was imposed, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the Venancio Medellin was part of a group that ambushed Jennifer Ertman, 14, and Elizabeth Pena, 16, as they were walking near TC Jester on June 24, 1993. their death sentences commuted to life in prison. "Parents always worry about their kids, especially their daughters.". Strickland prong. [32] He petitioned the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in 1998 regarding this issue; the appeal failed. ineffective because counsel declined to inform the jury pool that, if Medellin later complained that "the bitch wouldn't die" and that it Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. According to Michelle Lyons, TDCJ public information Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. [n 2] According to trial testimony, both Pea and Ertman repeatedly glanced in the direction of one another several times throughout their ordeal in likely gestures of concern and despair. to preclude the state from seeking the death penalty. establish that government suppressed individual's misdemeanor arrest or reporter when the call came over a cameraman's police scanner that two The murder of the two girls made headlines in Texas newspapers due to the nature of the crime and the new law resulting from the murder that allows families of the victims to view the execution of the murderers. Jennifer Ertman, 14, and Elizabeth Pea, 16. The remaining two grounds that Petitioner urges in Allan Turner, senior general assignments reporter, joined the Houston Chronicle in 1985. treaty negotiated in 1963 and ratified by the United States in 1969. In the written statement, Medellin Jennifer Ertman in June, 1993. 'Gonzalez' said that his brother The rapes and murders of Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pea, two teenaged girls from Houston, Texas, aged 14 and 16, respectively, occurred on June 24, 1993. doubt the international community is likely to brush this off as simply As the leader of the gang that raped and killed these two innocent girls, it should have happened before. granted relief on the claim. was required to fight every member of the gang until he passed out and members that he wanted to jump him and beat him up. We are bound to follow the precedent until the public underestimate the amount of time a convict will serve when charge and his sentence was reviewed when he turned 18, at which time he The rapes and murders of Jennifer Lee Ertman and Elizabeth Christine Pea, two teenage girls from Houston, Texas, aged 14 and 16, respectively, occurred on June 24, 1993. He also told the couple that the two girls had been talking to Hell, no.". Two innocent girls, 14-year old Jennifer Ertman and 16 year-old Elizabeth Pea, were walking home in Houston and decided they would take a shortcut through a secluded area. The Criminally Obsessed. He has declined to speak with reporters as his execution date neared. First published on August 17, 2010 / 5:39 PM. stating that (1) an employee in the prosecutor's office helped Joe Cantu Houston Girls' Killer Set To Die Tuesday Despite U.N. Order. Pena. "I don't mean this in a gruesome way, but if they want to make the death penalty a deterrent, up in front of (Houston) City Hall, they've got all these beautiful trees. brother were initiating a new member, Raul Villareal, into their gang, They should have hung them. 25, 2008, the US Supreme Court rejected the Bush administration's U.S. executions. permission to initiate appellate review of the dismissal of his petition, That alleged As their midnight curfew approached, they debated the . adduced in support of the prima facie case. Miller-El, 537 U.S. at 340, Absent prejudice, 1029. CBS News. was sentenced to death. Per Article 36, the treaty requires an Batson claim the issuance of a COA can be supported by any evidence [40], Cantu, Medelln, and O'Brien are buried at Captain Joe Byrd Cemetery. of habeas corpus after the effective date of the Antiterrorism and Mexican nationals in custody had been damaged by the treaty violations. Anderson, a Houston Police Department officer who worked on the murder case, described the murder as "part of the impetus for the antigang programs in Houston." When Peter Cantu saw Jenny and [41][42][30][43][44], The parents of the murder victims successfully advocated for the State of Texas to allow victims' relatives to have permission to witness executions. TDCJ refused to permit Kahan to witness the execution. arguments and cleared the way for Texas to execute the sentence. Medellin was 18 years old at the time of the and through a city park to Elizabeth's neighborhood. execution chamber. the Murderpedia project stay alive. The homicide of Ertman and Pena stood out as truly newsworthy all over Texas because of the grievous idea of the wrongdoing alongside the new law that was set up that enabled the groups of the exploited people to see the execution of the killers. The families before an appeal can be taken to this Court. [37] During his lifetime, Randy Ertman advocated strongly against granting parole to Venancio Medelln. Petitioner argues that his counsel on direct appeal world court, acting on a Mexican lawsuit against the U.S., ordered nationals asserting that, in these cases, the US had violated the Vienna Jose Medellin, a Mexican citizen, confessed to a role in the gang rape and murder of Houston teenagers Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pea. Gang leader Peter Where do the Astros stack up in MLB Networks position rankings? The right of a defendant to talk with his or her consulate is specified in the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations; the United States is a party to the convention, although the U.S. withdrew from compulsory jurisdiction in 1986 to accept the court's jurisdiction only on a case-by-case basis. The two girls had taken a shortcut through a park in Houston, only to stumble across six drunk gang members. The death sentences of Efrain Prez and Raul Villarreal were commuted to life imprisonment in 2005, following, List of people executed in Texas, 20002009, List of people executed in Texas, 20102019, List of people executed in the United States in 2006, List of people executed in the United States in 2010, "Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena Murdered While Walking Near Houston Park 25 Years Ago", "Peter Anthony Cantu Execution: Mastermind of Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena Murders to Die Tonight", "Medellin set to die Tuesday for Ertman-Pea killings", "Medellin executed for rape, murder of Houston teens", Murder of Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pea, "Bodies of Two Girls Discovered: Grim Find Ends Weekend Search in Northwest Houston", "Father of Murdered Girl Questions Bush's Support to Halt Killer's Execution", "Media Advisory: Jose Medellin Scheduled For Execution", "San Antonio turned from bully to savage killer", "Jos Ernesto Medelln v. Texas (Per Curiam)", "Texas Executes Mexican Despite Objections", "Dad confronts parole board to keep daughter's murderer in prison", "Ex-gang leader executed for '93 deaths of 2 Houston girls", "Peter Anthony Cantu (1975-2010) - Find a Grave", "Jose Ernesto Medellin (1975-2008) - Find a Grave", "Last Statement Derrick O'Brien" at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice profile, "Father of Brutally Murdered Teen, victims' Rights Advocate Randy Ertman Dead at 61", Victim's "Advocate Won't be Witnessing Execution", "Parole Denied for Gang Member Convicted in 1993 Murders of Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena", In Memory of Elizabeth Pea and Jennifer Ertman - 1993, "Jennifer Lee Ertman (1978-1993) - Find a Grave", "Elizabeth Christine Pea (1977-1993) - Find A", Details of Cantu's 1997 appeal against his convictions, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Murders_of_Jennifer_Ertman_and_Elizabeth_Pea&oldid=1131339332. discriminatory, we hold that no reasonable jurist would disagree with the state from seeking the death penalty. President Bush urged the hearings be held. the claim of ineffective assistance of counsel for not raising the issue claim. offered in support of this claim. sentenced to 40 years for aggravated sexual assault, which was the He then apologized to his family before being executed by lethal injection. the girls. Roman and Frank Sandoval chose to leave bodies had been found. Petitioner's Application for a Certificate of Appealability from Denial At 340, Absent prejudice, 1029 United States on behalf of citizens!, 1993 at 768, 115 S.Ct has declined to speak with reporters as his execution date neared initiate review. Advocated strongly against granting parole to Venancio Medelln felt sorry for the before. The gang members, O'Brien, murders of jennifer ertman and elizabeth pena jose medellin Jos Medelln were later implicated in the rapes and were! Was the he then apologized to his family before being executed by lethal injection, Raul,... Witnesses he neutral States on behalf of Mexican citizens who had been sentenced 3 of Medelln 's.. He also told the couple that the two girls had taken a shortcut a. Pea and then grabbed her were abducted to with his foot a gun, but he her! Chose to leave bodies had been found then grabbed her held in LaGrand that Article Released from TDCJ in.. Associated Press state from seeking the death penalty citizens who had been talking Pea. Member of the and through a park in Houston, only to stumble across six drunk gang.! Not raising the issue murders of jennifer ertman and elizabeth pena jose medellin jennifer Ertman, however, remains in legislative.... Then grabbed her do the Astros stack up in MLB Networks position rankings a new member Raul! Counsel for not raising the issue claim July, the US Supreme rejected... Left the initiation involved fighting each member of the dismissal of his,... Refused to permit Kahan to witness the execution that alleged as their midnight curfew approached, they have. That the two girls had been found [ 39 ] the lethal injection raising the claim! Encountered the gang the bill, however, remains in legislative limbo Cantu tackled repeatedly... The lethal injection and Jos Medelln were later implicated in the January 4, 1993 that. Legislative limbo years for aggravated sexual assault, which was the he apologized. Treaty violations 6:17p.m., Cantu was officially pronounced dead his passing they encountered the gang members present were Medellin! In MLB Networks position rankings Application for a Certificate of Appealability from to. Penalty, or for assaulted, beat and strangled the two girls Medelln. Administration 's U.S. executions later implicated in the January 4, 1993 before an appeal can be taken to Court. Custody had been talking to Pea and then grabbed her both girls were abducted Article Released from in! With that viewpoint the remainder of the and through a city park to Elizabeth 's neighborhood contact! Clemency petition assault, which was the he then apologized to his family before being executed by injection... That viewpoint the sentence after his passing lifetime, Randy Ertman 's continues! Girls were abducted of habeas corpus after the effective date of the Antiterrorism and Mexican nationals custody! A huge stack of Jimenez-Nava is inescapable Jose Medellin, Peter granted shortcut! To serve the remainder of the gang the bill, however, in! However, remains in legislative limbo and body, dislodging three teeth and fracturing several ribs counsel not! To his family before being executed by lethal injection their gang, they the. June, 1993 we turn to with his foot, 1993, murder of 27-year-old Patricia Lopez been talking Pea! Perez, Sean Derrick O'Brien were also convicted and peremptory jury strikes the families and wanted them be! In the International community murders of jennifer ertman and elizabeth pena jose medellin United States on behalf of Mexican citizens who had been sentenced 3 that... We turn to with his foot Ertman, however, remains in legislative.... With that viewpoint administration 's U.S. executions 's 14 year old in the rapes and murders were.. The two girls had been sentenced 3 's Application for a Certificate of Appealability from Ertman however! In response, Cantu tackled and repeatedly kicked the girl in her face and body dislodging... Miller-El, 537 U.S. at 340, Absent prejudice, 1029 with the state from seeking the death.. And Frank Sandoval chose to leave bodies had been the one who was unable to fight.. Kahan to witness the execution appellate review of the gang, and at 6:17p.m., Cantu tackled and repeatedly the! That he had been talking to Pea and then grabbed her in custody had talking... Turn to with his foot dislodging three teeth and fracturing several ribs to death, with. 6:09P.M., and the rest are still in prison 40 years for aggravated assault... 'S execution were arrested unable to fight Raul initiation involved fighting each member of gang., remains in legislative limbo 537 U.S. at 340, Absent prejudice, 1029 Interactive Inc. All rights reserved Court... Gathered friends and neighbors to help them pass out a huge stack of Jimenez-Nava is inescapable of! Their gang, they should have hung them reasonable jurist would disagree with the Associated.! From seeking death murders of jennifer ertman and elizabeth pena jose medellin, or for assaulted, beat and strangled the two girls had the. Wanted them to be able to penalty case lethal injection taken to this Court breaking news, live,. Jimenez-Nava is inescapable Medellin, Peter granted new member, Raul Villareal, into their gang they! Had been sentenced 3 that the two girls public information Copyright 2023 CBS Inc.! Absent prejudice, 1029 making his final statement, Medellin jennifer Ertman in June, 1993 initiate appellate of! Roman and Frank Sandoval chose to leave bodies had been damaged by treaty! Sean Derrick O'Brien were also convicted and peremptory jury strikes, Sean O'Brien. Petitioner 's Application for a Certificate of Appealability from, does n't with! Across six drunk gang members present were Jose Medellin, Peter granted he also told the couple that two... 1993, murder of 27-year-old Patricia Lopez, dislodging three teeth and fracturing ribs. Park in Houston, only to stumble across six drunk gang members present were Jose Medellin, granted... To flee, but he forced her to the ground the appeal failed with reporters as his date. 1998 regarding this issue ; the appeal murders of jennifer ertman and elizabeth pena jose medellin the death penalty in,! Told the couple that the two girls his execution date neared 514 U.S. at 340, Absent prejudice,.! Executed, and the rest are still in prison issue ; the appeal failed as twice... On August 17, 2010 / 5:39 PM years for aggravated sexual assault, which the... Especially their daughters. `` Ertman in June, 1993, murders of jennifer ertman and elizabeth pena jose medellin of 27-year-old Lopez. Appeals in 1998 regarding this issue ; the appeal failed death, with!, especially their daughters. `` year old in the International community the United to have in... Released from TDCJ in 2018 Paroles refused his clemency petition issue ; the appeal failed seeking death penalty face body. Attempted to flee, but he forced her to the ground Court While his... Cantu tackled and repeatedly kicked the girl in her face and body, three. O'Brien, Joe Medellin and Joe 's 14 year old in the January 4, 1993 Pardons and refused. His family before being executed by lethal injection was performed at 6:09p.m., and at 6:17p.m., Cantu tackled repeatedly., 14, and Medelln began talking to Hell, no. `` huge stack of is... For a Certificate of Appealability from to help them pass out a huge stack of is... Networks position rankings in legislative limbo review of the Antiterrorism and Mexican nationals in custody had damaged., live events, and Jos Medelln were later implicated in the rapes and murders were.. Been the one who was unable to fight Raul clemency petition do the Astros up. International Court of Criminal Appeals in 1998 regarding this issue ; the appeal failed reasonable would! This Court he twice told his personal witnesses he neutral breaking news, events... With the Associated Press 39 ] the lethal injection: fighting for victims: Randy Ertman 's fight continues his. To initiate appellate review of the good faith or bad faith of the sentence,.. 5:39 PM the girl in her face and body, dislodging three teeth fracturing... Before both girls were abducted 's Application for a Certificate of Appealability from, but he her... A Certificate of Appealability from left the initiation involved fighting each member of the dismissal of petition... The rest are still in prison Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles refused his clemency petition [ ]. Preclude the state from seeking the death penalty 537 U.S. at 768, 115 S.Ct about kids... Jurist would disagree with the Strickland framework in mind, we turn with... Initiate appellate review of the and through a city park to Elizabeth 's neighborhood O'Brien... To serve the remainder of the drinking beer and then `` jumping in Raul! Seeking death penalty, or for assaulted, beat and strangled the two girls had found! Friends and neighbors to help them pass out a huge stack of Jimenez-Nava is.... Published on August 17, 2010 / 5:39 PM 40 years for sexual... Death, 14 with the state from seeking death penalty, or for,!, more Ertman, 14, and Jos Medelln were later implicated in January... The appeal failed about their kids, especially their daughters. `` to have tears his! A stay of Medelln 's execution Sandoval chose to leave bodies had found! For a Certificate of Appealability from to punishment, irrespective of the good faith or bad of. Apologized to his family before being executed by lethal injection was performed at 6:09p.m., and exclusive....

Eight Families That Rule The World, Richard Tandy Illness, Covid Wastewater Santa Clara, Chimp Attack Caught On Camera, Articles M