Thoughts on an Execution, or, Getting It Right

'HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) -- Texas executed a Mexican citizen Thursday for the rape-slaying of a teenager after he and the White House pleaded in vain for a Supreme Court stay, saying he was denied help from his home country that could have helped him avoid the death penalty.'  http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_TEXAS_EXECUTION?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-07-07-19-36-52

For sake of clarity, this guy Leal raped a 16 year old girl and then bludgeoned her to death with 40 lb. piece of asphalt. 

'Mexico, the Obama administration and others had asked the U.S. Supreme Court to delay Leal's execution so Congress could consider a law that would require court reviews in cases where condemned foreign nationals did not receive help from their consulates. They said the case could affect not only foreigners in the U.S. but Americans detained in other countries.

The court rejected the request 5-4. Its five more conservative justices doubted that executing Leal would cause grave international consequences, and doubted "that it is ever appropriate to stay a lower court judgment in light of unenacted legislation."'

Way to go Supreme Court and even more so the State of Texas! As a 6th generation Texan Wright, I am always proud of my home state.  I am also proud that Texas executes more criminals than any other state. 
Honestly I think we should execute more criminals.  Murders, child-molesters and rapists should all get the death penalty.  I wish I could still say get the chair, but they get the chamber these days.  And in this case I am proud that we didn't kowtow to PBHO who was requisitely on the wrong side of this issue.