RSSWhat Are Our Court Thinking? Accused Child Rapist Set Free Because of No Interpreter
Another judicial outrage. Suspects rights trump victims rights again. So a suspected child rapist makes it through high school and community college and conveniently cannot understand English when charged with a crime. Mahamu Kanneh, a Liberian national who was accused of repeatedly raping a 7 year old girl, Judge Katherine Savage dismissed the charges and set this suspected child predator free because they could not find an interpreter. Under the right to have a speedy trial, a judge allowed a suspected child rapist to go free.
Charges against a man accused of repeatedly raping and molesting a 7-year-old girl were dismissed last week because the court could not find an interpreter fluent in the suspect’s native West African language. Mahamu Kanneh, a Liberian native who received asylum in this country and attended high school and community college here, according to The Washington Post, was denied a speedy trial after three years awaiting a court-appointed interpreter who could speak the tribal language of Vai. (Fox News)
What makes matters worse is that Mahamu Kanneh and his defense attorney gamed the American legal system. Kanneh was granted asylum in America, went to high school and community college and spoke to detective, but some how when confronted with a legal charge is unable to speak the language.
The trial date was extended repeatedly as the state and the defense argued over whether Kanneh needed an interpreter and whether he understood the legal proceedings. The state noted that Kanneh attended high school and community college in Montgomery and spoke to detectives in English. The defense insisted that he needed an interpreter to fully understand the proceedings. (Washington Post)
So much for the rights of the victim and her right to justice and protection.
According to witnesses who originally reported the case to authorities, Kanneh allegedly repeatedly raped and sexually molested the girl, a relative. In a statement made by the girl to police, she said she had been told she’d be forced to stay in the apartment unless she had sex with Kanneh.
UPDATE I: Prosecutor Appeals After Judge Drops Rape Charges Against Liberian Over Lack of Interpreter
Posted July 23, 2007 by Scared Monkeys Bizarre, Child Welfare, Crime, Judicial, Sex Offender, WTF | 19 comments |
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19 Responses to “What Are Our Court Thinking? Accused Child Rapist Set Free Because of No Interpreter”
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WTF???
The official language of Liberia is ENGLISH. Obviously the man could speak English if he went to high school here and community college. Incredible!
What kind of a lesson does this teach our children? This made me so angry when I heard this. This guy could attend American schools and yet needed an interpreter? BS! I suppose he couldn’t understand his defense attorney either! BS! Slimeball. Savage! Judge Savage – appropriate name for injustice to a young child! Shameful.
You are correct, Damien, Liberia was founded by African-American slaves, sometime after the Civil War. I actually had a child in my class from there, both she and her mother spoke fluent English!!! The ex-Slaves named it Liberia, has it stood for Liberty-Freedom, for them!!!
Where did thesePreosecutors, judge, et.al come from to be such fools!!
unbelievable… and he probably went to college for free at that.
If people wonder why kids have become so “insensitive” perhaps it is because we are telling them over and over that the rights or predators are more important than they are. This has to change!
We need to inform all of those running for office that the issue of judges is a big issue this election season. Make it an issue!
well,it was founded after the war of 1812,and the Capitol was named after James Monroe.The common lingo is English ,with a variety of other lingos.I say execute him,in any language
Yes, I’m sure the ACLU was right there by his side, telling him ALL his rights (in ENGLISH). Just like at Va, Tech, where the teacher was so terrified with that “crazed” killer, and she was forced to teach him in a room by herself, that was her alternative to having him in a room with his peers where there definitely would have been trouble, so to be PC he was permitted to go as far as he wished, until that final day when he opened fire on so many innocent people and thank God himself, or he might be walking around on bail as we type….don’t wanna offend immigrants, ya know!!!!
Thanks, Joe, I really didn’t know the EXACT history, just that it was founded by ex-slaves from America and they named it Liberia for Liberty—Freedom… that’s what child’s mom told me, and they both spoke English…. Something about the capital being named Monrovia sounds familiar, maybe I’ll google it later, this is just off the top of my head!!
The judge should have her arse thrown in the pokey!
There is plenty of blame to go around in this case, but I don’t think the judge is the primary offender. She’s been on the bench for several years and has a good record. First of all, a court-appointed psychiatrist said that the guy needed to have an interpreter who speaks a rare tribal dialect in order to fully understand the charges against him, when he had already been interviewed by the police in English. Secondly, a court clerk allegedly could not find someone who speaks that dialect in three years of trying, despite the fact that it took the Washington Post less than a week to find 3 potential interpreters who were fluent in the language. If it were me, I’d have let the case go to trial and let the jerk raise the issue of lack of an interpreter on appeal, but you can’t expect the judge to do everything; other people in the judicial system have responsibilities, too, and I think they were the ones who dropped the ball here.
I thought ignorance is no excuse for the law.
Get his mama over here to interpet.
It’s sad but the judge did what she had to do by law. But hey, this is a democracy…if you don’t like the law why don’t you get it changed!?
I hope y’all saw Wendy Murphy on Nancy Grace last nite. She went nuts on the judge. I think the State Attorney General’s office is looking into this one. This pervert isn’t even a citizen. Send his sick sorry butt back to Liberia. Perhaps the next time he can’t keep it in his pants, someone will whack it off with a dull kitchen knife.
Obviously this is the fault of the American educational system. I say that we have an immediate program to ensure that everyone in this country, from elementary school on, is required to become fluent in Vai. Only that way can we ensure international friendship, etc., etc., etc., etc.
I mean, who doesn’t speak Vai these days?
It should be remembered that this is the DUTY of the public defender and is similar to a lawyer getting endless continuances when the complaining witness is a tourist who wants to enjoy his vacation and go home. That does not mean the Public Defender can lie to the court, only that the defender be informed by his client that a translator is required. Obviously no translator was really needed in this case. It was a ploy. That is the game that is played all the time. By both sides.
I was going to make a comment, but I am truly at a loss for words on this one.
I would suggest to have the judge psycholgically evaluated for the sake and safety of the common good. But there are so many more situations that I guess it is really kind of useless.
How do they hornswaggle us to give them the power to judge anyway?
This Judge needs a head examination.
Slightly OT, but a similar brain
process pattern (read – lack of) —
The Conn Immigrant ID Cards
“The simple straightforward purpose here is to build a stronger community,” — Mayor John DeStefano said.
****
“You can’t police a community of
people who won’t talk to our cops.”
****
???
How do people who make statements like that, and
these whacko runaway judges keep getting
elected & re-elected?
It really burns me.
I’m all about Wendy Murphy on that one #12! In fact,
I think we should submit a new phrase to the US BOARD OF
PHRASES…
“I am getting ready to go all WENDY MURPHY on
your a$$.”
…
Hey Wendy, I think of that as a positive!
—
(about the pickle & the dull knife > Ow-ich!)
Now you know why selecting judges is soooooo important.
We also have DA’s and prosecuters who sentence border agents for shooting a criminal drug cartel illegal in the butt.
There was the judge who released a “to catch a predator” perp, via suspending his sentence. This guy actually disrobed in the garage of the house.
We need to vote judges, DA’s etc out where possible. Those serving for life, we need to shine the light on their terrible deeds and get the word out. No Judge left behind!
- Prosecutor Appeals After Judge Drops Rape Charges Against Liberian Over Lack of Interpreter-
A RESPONSE FROM A LICENSED CERTIFIED COURT INTERPRETER
ABSOLUTELY IT IS THE JUDGE WHO MUST BE ACCOUNTABLE FIRST, BUT RIGHT BY HIS SIDE THEY MUST LINE UP ALL THOSE IN THE PLOY, AND THEY SHOULD BEAR A HEAVY RESPONSIBLITY. TOO OFTEN THE COURT ALLOCATES THE TASK OF APPOINTING INTERPRETERS TO ADMINISTRATORS AND CLERKS AND OTHERS- WHO DON’T HAVE THE TRAINING OR CULTURAL LITERACY TO TAKE CHARGE OF APPOINTING THE INTERPPRETERS; BECAUSE THEY DON’T WANT TO BE TROUBLED WITH THIS TRIVIAL ISSUES.
I AM A LICENSED CERTIFIED COURT INTERPRETER AND THIS PLOY INFURIATES ME AS A PROFESSIONAL WHO STRUGGLES DAILY TO GET COURTS TO CALL ON CERTIFIED INTERPRETERS INSTEAD OF UNQUALIFIED PEOPLE WHEN PROFESSIONAL LINGUISTICS ARE REALLY NEEDED! – AND FOR SPANISH AND THERE ARE ABOUT SIXTY SPANISH CERTIFIED INTERPRETERS IN OUR STATE. OF COURSE THE ABSURDITY IS JUST THE POINT THAT THIS DEFEDANT ALEGEDLY DIDN’T EVEN NEED AN INTERPRETER!
AND WE PREDICTED THIS ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO, I AM A SPANISH INTERPRETER AND I WOULD GET CALLED IN TO INTERPRET FOR VIETNAMESE –OR FOR PERSONS FROM INDIA WITH A THICK BRITICH ACCENT! THIS IS A SYMPTOM OF A GREATER EPIDEMIC… IT IS THE EPIDEMY OF THE CULTURAL ILITERACY IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OUR COURT SYSTEMS. THIS PLOY OF NEEDING AN INTERPRETER WHEN OR IF THE DEFENDANTS ARE FLUENT ADULTS CONSTITUTES TELLING A FALSEHOOD TO THE JUDICIARY, IT LOOKS LIKE PERJURY, SMELLS LIKE PERJURY AND THE COURT OR A HIGHER COURT SHOULD CONSIDER PUNITIVE ACTION FOR ANYONE WHO PLAYS THIS GAME, MAYBE WITH HAEVY FINES AND WITH CONTEMPT OF COURT. IT IS BAD ENOUGH THAT SOME COURTS ARE DENYING OR DELAYIG INTERPRETERS FOR LINGUISTIC MINORITIES WHO TRULY NEED MEANINGFUL ACCESS FOR DUE PROCESS, OR WHO ADMIT TO HAVE LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY.
PERHAPS IT IS TIME THE COURTS CONSIDER THAT THEY WILL MAKE THE DILIGENT EFFORT TO LOCALIZE AN INTERPRETER; AND HAVE A CLAUSE THAT IF THE LANGUAGE IS NOT ONE FOR WHICH CERTIFICATION IS OFFERED – AN INTERPRETER PROVIDED BY THE COURT SO LONG AS THEY ARE WILLING TO ACCEPT THAT SPEEDY TRIAL BECOMES A RELATIVE TERM WHEN THEY REQUEST THE LOCALIZATION OF AN INTERPRETER IN A RARE LANGUAGE IS AN ISSUE. [ WHEN INTERPRETERS FOR THAT LANGUAGE ARE NOT READILY ACCESIBLE]
PERHAPS IT IS GOOD THAT THE COURTS TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT THOSE WHO FIND THAT GAME AMUSING AND FIND ADEQUATE PUNISHMENT, AND USE THOSE FUNDS TO HIRE INTERPETERS, MAKE THOSE PLAYING THIS GAME PAY A HAEVY FINE; THAT WAS A WASTE OF TAXPAYERS MONEY AND OF THE COURTS TIME, AND FOR ABUSING THE SYSTEM.
MAYBE THE COURTS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, JUDGES, PROSECUTORS AND DEFENSE ATTORNEYS SHOULD BE LESS WORRIED ABOUT PLAYING GAMES, AND PAY MORE ATTENTION WHEN THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR STATE COURTS’ CONSORTIUM AND INSTEAD OF SAYING “SHE’S JUST AND INTERPRETER” TRY TO GET EDUCATED ABOUT USING CERTIFIED COURT INTERPRETERS – AND IF THE COURTS WOULD HIRE CERTIFIED STAFF INTERPRETERS- PROFESSIONAL LINGUISTS INTERPRETERS (EVEN IF THEY DON’T SPEAK THE LANGUAGE) THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE RESOURCES TO INVESTIGATE THE LINGUISTIC ISSUES; THEN THEIR PLOY WOULD FAIL.
WHEN COURTS SAY THAT IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME, IT IS AN EMBARRASSMENT AND IT SHOULD NOT BE PERMISSIBLE, IT IS IN EVERY SENCE OF THE WORD ABUSE OF JUSTICE, AND IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE – AN ALLEGED SEX ABUSER HAS BEEN SET FREE –IT IS A CRIME AGAINST SOCIETY, AND EVERYONE IN THIS COUNTRY SHOULD SEE THAT IT IS THE GAME WHICH HAS CREATED THE ABUSE — AND NOT THE RIGHT TO AN INTERPRETER SHOULD NOT BE IN JEOPORDY FOR THE LACK OF RESPECT OF THOSE WHO PLAYED THAT GAME.
THESE KIND OF GAMES PUT THE COURT INTERPRETING PROFESSION IN PERIL!
AND WORSE; IT IS A MOCKERY OF OUR JUSTICE SYTEM. I SEE PEOPLE WHO REALLY NEED AN INTERPRETER BEING DENIED OF CERTIFIED INTERPRETERS –EVEN WHEN LICENSED CERTIFIED INTERPRETERS ARE AVAILABLE –THIS IS UNFAIR TO THE INTERPRETERS WHO ARE CERTIFIED AND TO THE LINGUISTIC MINORITIES’ DUE PROCESS.
ALLOWING BOTH SIDES TO PLAY THIS GAME IS THE FAULT OF THE COURTS WHO DO NOT HIRE LICENSED CERTIFIED INTERPRETERS TO SAVE MONEY.
IF A WELL TRAINED INTERPRETER HAD BEEN CONSULTED – THEY WOULD CONSULT WITH EITHER THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF JUDICIARY INTERPRETERS- AND WOULD DETERMINE WHAT LANGUAGE- OR GO TO THE NATIONAL CENTER OF STATE COURTS.
DON’T START PUTTING BLAME ON ANYONE ELSE. PUNISH THE PLAYERS, THOSE WHO HAVE COMMITTED PERJURY!!
STOP USING THE COURTS TO PLAY GAMES!
COURTS NEED TO REALIZE THAT COURT INTERPRETERS ARE COURT PERSONNEL AND IF THEY WERE WILLING TO CONSULT WITH THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR STATE COURTS AND IF THEY CALLED THE COUNTRY’S EMNASSADOR – THEY ARE CLOSE TO D.C. – THEY MIGHT HAVE REALIZED THAT SOMEONE WAS PLAYING A GAME. THEY SHOULD MAKE THE DEFENSE ATTORNEY SPEND SOME TIME IN THE SAME JAILCELL WITH HIS CLIENT FOR CONTEMPT OF COURT!