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 ...
He attended high school and college without being able to speak English? What, he reads minds?
If this guy’s right to a speedy trial had been truly violated, there *might* be something to this, but from what I’ve been hearing this guy is perfectly able to speak decent English. This thing has been a put up job since the beginning. He didn’t need an interpreter in the first place, and his own previous statements prove that.
I disagree with removing the Judge, the DA should be fired forthwith.
Richly deserved? I guess the 6th Amendment is meaningless? The guy has a right to a speedy trial, period.
See reply # 3.
I think both should be removed. In the mean time we need to take this dirtbag and his father and deport them back to the shi*hole they came from.
bump for publicity
The defendant waived his right to a speedy trial becauase he wanted a psychic evaluation and other stall tactics performed. He wanted ample time to mount a defence and his lawyer gamed the system to have this thrown out.
He waived his right to a speedy trial and lied to the court about his language abilities. The day his case was dismissed there was a translator in the court and sworn in. But the richly deserved reference was for the judge.
“Me no speeky Engleesh berry good”
“CASE DISMISSED”
So, whose fault is it that he didn't have a speedy trial? Why did this thing take 3 years???!
We need more of this.
This sets a precedent for all Illegal aliens to have their cases dismissed.
If no such waiver exists then it was the prosecution's job to get the case to trial. Any objections or stalling by the defense should have been immediately met with a demand that he waive his speedy trial rights before the delay was allowed. It's the government's job to push for the trial, not his.
Just when everyone thought that hitmen were useless relics of days gone by...
Um, the guy is presumed innocent, remember?
He had no problem speaking English all through High School and he speaks English to his neighbors. This is a travesty and this judge should be removed from the bench ASAP. This is really outrageous.
Tell us all about it when he rapes your 7 year old child. This guy is off scot free and back on the streets. Somebody’s child somewhere will suffer at the monster’s hands again.
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