Posted on 07/26/2007 8:22:01 AM PDT by 3AngelaD
A Maryland lawmaker is seeking to remove the judge who dismissed a Montgomery County case because of delays in securing an interpreter for the trial of a Liberian immigrant accused of raping and repeatedly molesting a 7-year-old girl.
"We have created an attitude that no matter how important and grievous a crime is, that a technicality takes precedence over the rights of the victim," said Delegate Patrick L. McDonough, Baltimore County Republican. "So any time a defendant comes into court and has a language problem, there's a good chance they could have their case dismissed."
Circuit Court Judge Katherine D. Savage ruled last week that the delays associated with finding an interpreter who spoke the African language Vai violated Mahamu Kanneh"s right to a speedy trial.
Mr. McDonough yesterday said the decision to drop the case set a dangerous precedent in Maryland, and he would seek to have her impeached. He said he will introduce a resolution to remove Judge Savage when the House of Delegates convenes in January. If the resolution were passed by the House, the Senate would decide whether to remove the judge.
It would be the first time since the Civil War that the legislature removed a judge. The House of Delegates last year rejected a lawmaker's call to impeach a Baltimore circuit judge who ruled that the state's same-sex "marriage" ban was unconstitutional...
His trial was delayed as prosecutors and defense attorneys argued whether Mr. Kanneh, who attended high school and community college in Montgomery County, needed an interpreter...
Circuit judges in Maryland serve 15-year terms. Judge Savage, one of 21 judges on the Montgomery County Circuit, joined the court in 2002.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
note: EVEN IF you have waived speedy trial, you can reactivate or recapture you speedy trial right by filing a demand for speedy after the fact.
In addition, it is proper to note, waiving speedy is not a open ended delay. The judge can not allow a case to continue infinitly and can and does use case managment procedures contained in the state procedural rules and the courts own local rules.
Go to Michelle Malkin’s document dump and read the files. They have victim testimony, two eye witnesses, and DNA evidence. After reading the file, come back and explain to me about why the victim, and witnesses and the DNA are lying. “Who ya gonna believe? Me, or your lying eyes?” We are not on the jury, so we are allowed to use our brains and draw rational conclusions. People like you and the ACLU are scary. Here’s an idea, why don’t you take him into your home and allow him to care for your little girls, unsupervised.
just asking.
ping
Obviously Judge Katherine Savage either is an active or closet pedophile, a sadist, or she was bribed/blackmailed.
"Go to Michelle Malkin’s document dump and read the files. They have victim testimony, two eye witnesses, and DNA evidence. After reading the file, come back and explain to me about why the victim, and witnesses and the DNA are lying. “Who ya gonna believe? Me, or your lying eyes?” We are not on the jury, so we are allowed to use our brains and draw rational conclusions. People like you and the ACLU are scary. Here’s an idea, why don’t you take him into your home and allow him to care for your little girls, unsupervised.
42 posted on 07/26/2007 9:57:43 AM PDT by 3AngelaD
You’re trying to throw out the Constitution in the name of ‘justice’. Instead, you need to concentrate on making the government operate within the confines of the Bill of Rights. I don’t care if the guy is guilty or not - he has rights.
Give it up, flyweight. Your limited insight qualifies you for membership on a web site for college kids...
Is it the prosecutor’s responsibility to arrange and provide for an interpretor, or is that the Court’s responsibility?
The prosecutor in this case says it’s the Court’s responsibility, not his. He is appealing the ruling.
The sixth amendment doesn't have conditions attached to it: "unless the prosecutor screws up, unless the judge screws up, etc..."
Perhaps the judge, prosecutor or both need to dealt with, but in any case, his speedy trial rights have been infringed unless he was the sole cause of the delay. I don't get why this is so hard to understand.
Your reply says it all...
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