Posted on 08/13/2013 1:02:09 PM PDT by grundle
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico Supreme Court is cautioning trial courts and lawyers that citizens who don’t speak English have the right to serve on juries.
The court issued the admonition in a ruling that upholds an Albuquerque man’s convictions for murder and other crimes in the bludgeoning death of his girlfriend and a subsequent armed robbery and stabbing.
(Excerpt) Read more at lasvegas.cbslocal.com ...
They were born here, either descendants of original Spanish settlers (residents of lots of areas in northern NM speak Spanish but most now are bi-lingual) or as anchor babies who have grown up with just a passing knowledge of English. In my recollection most are women who stay in the home or don't work in areas requiring English proficiency.
There are 10.4 million students from immigrant households in public schools, accounting for one in five public school students. Of these students, 78 percent speak a language other than English at home.
Overall, one in four public school students now speaks a language other than English at home.
The constitutional provision only applies to Spanish speakers - if the court decision is meant to apply to any non-English speaker, the judges were out of line, but that could be reasonably expected with the libs making up the bench these days.
What a great idea.
Why not an ALL-non-English speaking jury??
Did you read the article? (a) That wasn't his defense; and (b) the Court affirmed his conviction.
Automatic appeal.
So how does an interpreter go in the deliberations room?
So I have to learn mexican (non-english) so they are my peers?
Alzheimers —
I’d rather put my life in their hands, I think.
We are both on the sunset side of life, anyway.
A non-English speaking jury would in all likelihood contain people who were none of the above.
This may be a New Mexico thing as both English and Spanish are the official languages.
Like I really, really want a non-english speaker sitting in the exit row of the airplane (sarc.)
I was a juror in a civil trial involving some Koreans. All the testimony had to be translated for us, so basically it took twice as long.
How will they understand the evidence? Or does that matter?
How does someone come to the USA & then become a citizen without speaking English?
I thought that was a basic requirement.
IF I were a defendant in that court, I would demand a mistrial & a new jury of MY PEERS.
MY PEERS all speak English- and write it & read it!!!!!
“How do you pass a citizenship test, if you don’t speak English?”
Register Democrat?
“The ‘melting pot’ ceased to be about 35 years ago. Now we are a tossed salad...................”
I think a better analogy is like a vegetable platter, everyone in their own little space.
So courts will have to provide translators for non-speaking jurors at taxpayers expense now?
Another good point...
Good question...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.