Ángel Maturino Reséndiz is scheduled to be executed on June 27 for the murder of Claudia Benton. Reséndiz allegedly was waiting in Benton’s Harris County home on the evening of December 17, 1998. When Benton entered the house, Reséndiz is alleged to have raped, stabbed, and bludgeoned her to death.
Though Reséndiz has admitted to a series of more than 10 murders, he is no less entitled to due process than a defendant who claims to be entirely innocent. As Reséndiz is a Mexican citizen, his native country’s government hired a lawyer for him after his first lawyer failed to file an appeal with the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals before the deadline. Due to the case’s unusual circumstances, the Court agreed to accept his appeal late, and has not yet returned an opinion. In spite of the undecided status of Reséndiz’s appeal, an execution date has already been set for him and a death warrant has been signed.
In his appeal before the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, Reséndiz argued that he is insane and ineligible for execution. Whether or not the Court will agree has yet to be seen. Still, it is in poor taste and approaching a violation of Reséndiz’s due process rights for the state to be so presumptuous as to prepare for Reséndiz’s execution while an important appeal remains pending.
