While U.S. officials acknowledge the mistake, they claim Germany has a bigger agenda than justice. James Thessin, the lawyer leading the U.S. delegation, thinks the German government’s lawsuit is a ruse to “litigate the law itself.” It’s a valid point. Most European nations find the death penalty barbaric–the recent execution of an Italian citizen and the impending death of a mentally retarded sexual offender in Texas sparked protests across the continent. With a legal question mark hanging over the LaGrand case, this transatlantic conflict won’t be easy to dispose of.
