Humberto Leal Garcia executed in Texas despite White House appeal

State governor Rick Perry rejects call from Barack Obama to spare Mexican's life in order to protect US interests abroad

"US diplomats, top judges, senior military officers, the United Nations and former president George W Bush also appealed for Leal's execution to be halted on the grounds it could jeopardise American citizens arrested abroad as well as US diplomatic interests.

The White House asked the supreme court to put the execution on hold while Congress passes a law that would prevent Leal from being put to death along with dozens of other foreign nationals who were denied proper access to diplomatic representation before trials for capital crimes"