Md. Judge Dismisses Sex-Abuse Charges Clerk Is Unable To Find Suitable Translator In Time

The Washington Post ^ | July 22, 2007 | Ernesto Londano

[khnyny]

A 7-year-old girl said she had been raped and repeatedly molested over the course of a year. Police in Montgomery County, acting on information from a relative, soon arrested a Liberian immigrant living in Gaithersburg. They marshaled witnesses and DNA evidence to prepare for trial.

What was missing -- for much of the nearly three years that followed -- was an interpreter fluent in the suspect's native language. A judge recently dropped the charges, not because she found that Mahamu Kanneh had been wrongly accused but because repeated delays in the case had, in her view, violated his right to a speedy trial.

"This is one of the most difficult decisions I've had to make in a long time," Katherine D. Savage said from the bench Tuesday, noting that she was mindful of "the gravity of this case and the community's concern about offenses of this type."

Loretta E. Knight, the Circuit Court clerk responsible for finding interpreters, said her office searched exhaustively for a speaker of Vai, a tribal language spoken in West Africa. They contacted the Liberian Embassy, she said, and courts in all but three states. Linguists estimate that 100,000 people speak Vai, mostly in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

[khnyny]

An alleged child rapist has been freed on a false technicality by a Judge in Montgomery County, MD (the perp speaks English). Where is the justice for this child? This guy is a menace to the community.

This is an unbelievable story and was posted just once, yesterday, but I believe it is more than worth posting again.

[Sir Hailstone]

MoCo PING!

[LWalk18]

Somehow the Court could not find an interpreter in three years, yet the Post could find three Vai interpreters with a few phone calls. This is all because one psychologist claimed that he would not be able to understand English enough to defend himself, despite all the evidence to the contrary!

I went to school with some Liberian immigrants, and none have been unable to speak English. Liberia was founded by former American slaves- English is not a strange language to them.

[stuartcr]

The news this morning said that he had been a student, and actually talked with the police in english.

[End Times Sentinel]

Yeah... see, the thing is, I speak one of those languages that only twins speak. Unfortunately, I don't have a twin, so it's of rather limited value, but I need you to find someone who speaks it in order for me to get a fair trial.

Owl_Eagle

If what I just wrote made you sad or angry,
it was probably just a joke.

[Ben Mugged]

I heard on Fox this morning that the guy speaks English very well. He graduated from High School in the US and is going to enroll in Community College.

Even though he speaks English, a court psychiatrist said it would be better for him to have consultation in his native language. A defense attorney ploy.

[TexasCajun]

How did the Liberian function in the US if no one could communicate with him.

He understands and speaks some english and has scammed his way out of a prison sentence.

[toldyou]

I just watched FOX....they said he was interviewed and is fluent in English, but apparently couldn’t in court...WTH?

[Eric in the Ozarks]

The judge needs to be fired.

[GoldenPup]

If it was my kid he molested, he wouldn’t need an interpretor, he’d need an undertaker.

[khnyny]

Somehow the Court could not find an interpreter in three years, yet the Post could find three Vai interpreters with a few phone calls

I guess that says it all right there, doesn't it.

[TexasCajun]

Any lawyers wonder why they have a bad reputation!

What a scumbag, gets his child rapist off by scamming the court.

[Xenalyte]

This is an unbelievable story and was posted just once, yesterday, but I believe it is more than worth posting again.

Or you could have bumped the existing thread.

[LWalk18]

BTW, does anyone want to guess what the offical language of Liberia is?

[khnyny]

The news this morning said that he had been a student, and actually talked with the police in english.

That's correct. The initial interview by the police with the perp was conducted in English, and apparently, the suspect was quite proficient (at least until it went to trial).

[freekitty]

This woman is a sorry excuse for a judge. Hiding behind her made up ruling. She should be immediately taken off the bench. There is no excuse for this.

[khnyny]

LOL.

Well, yeah...see, the thing is, the court speaks “doublespeak”.

[khnyny]

This is a different news account from the story posted yesterday.

[elpadre]

I believe you will find that, although there are tribal languages, English is the official language of the country with all business and commerce being in the English language.

Can anyone confirm that????

[NoBullZone]

> Somehow the Court could not find an interpreter in three years

Why is it the responsibility of the court to find an interpreter? This needs to be nipped in the bud - English needs to be made officially the language of our legal system - you wanna live here? Learn English or find your own way around it.