Stop Execution of Cuban Exile Today -- Biased Trial

How many Cuban exiles were in the jury that convicted Yosvanis Valle for a murder for which he faces execution in Texas today? Valle still contends that he is innocent and that he was convicted because he could not finance a proper defense.

Had Valle had been Mexican he would surely have received financing from the Mexican government for his defense. For the tyranny in Cuba, of course, Valle is just another gusano (worm). They are concerned with defending Cuban spies in the US, not exiles. Thus this Cuban exile ended up being defended by the Texas Public Defender's Office.

Valle, known as “El Cubano”, was convicted by a Harris County jury. According to the U.S. Census Bureau the county is made up of whites, blacks, American Indians, Alaska Native persons, Asian persons, Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders and 'Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin'. No Cuban exiles are identified; they are lumped into the Hispanic category even though their political ties to their native land are radically different compared to those of other hispanics and to Mexicans, who constitute by far the majority of US Hispanics.

Cuban exiles are less than 1% of the population and less than 2% of all Hispanics in the U.S.. Lumping them together with other Hispanics might work for the U.S. Census but it certainly prevents them from being provided equal protection under the law as required by the U.S. Constitution.

How many Cuban exiles were in that jury that convicted Valle? Would it have been acceptable if a jury only of blacks had convicted a white Anglo Saxon or vice versa?

Wouldn't the composition of the jury have have been an issue in evaluating the fairness of the trial if a black, Mexican or a White Anglo Saxon had been convicted? Why then has it been irrelevant in determining a verdict and a death sentence for a Cuban exile? Did Valle's defense ask this question? If so, what answer did he/she receive? If not, why is this Cuban exile being executed in Texas today?



UPDATE 10:08 P.M. - ARGENTINA

Yosvanis Valle was executed by the government of the State of Texas minutes ago.


UPDATE 10:45 P.M. - ARGENTINA

According to EFE, Mr. Valle confessed to the crime and apologized to the victim's family just before being executed.

His confession does not affect the reasonableness of my argument above nor justify the death penalty.

He was sorry for what he had done. He could have remained the rest of his life in solitary confinement where he would not have been a threat. His executioners believe they had the right to kill him even though they did not create him or were threatened by him.