In McAlester, Hung Thanh Le, the Vietnamese refugee...

In McAlester, Hung Thanh Le, the Vietnamese refugee was executed at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary. Le, 37, was put to death by lethal injection at 6:04 p.m. for the 1992 stabbing death of Hai Nguyen. Le's attorney, Lanita Henricksen, had argued that Le was denied access to assistance from the Vietnamese consulate, as guaranteed by the Geneva Convention. Vietnam and the United States did not have diplomatic relations when Le was arrested for the murder in November of 1992. The 2 countries resumed relations in July 1995. Le was convicted in September 1995. Tuesday was his 3rd execution date. Le had been scheduled to die Feb. 26 (see), but officials from the Vietnamese Embassy asked Henry to delay the execution so the embassy could have time to review the case. His 1st execution date in January was delayed so Henry could review the case after the Pardon and Parole Board unanimously recommended clemency for Le. Henry later rejected that request. Le confessed to killing Nguyen, 34, the night he was arrested. Le becomes the 4th condemned inmate executed in Oklahoma this year, and the 19th in the USA.