Alleged Child Rapist Goes Free Because Court Can't Find Interpreter

waggy

No Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
68,143
10
81
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,290300,00.html

ROCKVILLE, Md. ? 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.

Click here to read The Washington Post article.

A court-ordered psychiatrist determined that Kanneh, despite his functional facility with English ? he originally spoke with detectives in English, The Post reports, needed to have Vai spoken in order to understand the proceedings against him.

Loretta Knight, a clerk with the court system in Montgomery County, Md., said she had been unable to find an interpreter to stay on the case, even after an exhaustive search that included the Liberian Embassy and courts in 47 states.

Judge Katherine Savage called her decision to dismiss the charges one of the most difficult she's had to make in a long time, especially since she was aware of "the gravity of this case and the community's concern about offenses of this type."

Prosecutors can't refile the charges but are considering whether to appeal the judge's ruling for the dismissal.

FOX News spoke with a man who claimed to be Kanneh in a five-minute phone conversation on Sunday in English. He said the allegations against him were false and the dismissal of the charges was "a good thing." Asked if the accusations were true, he responded, "I said what I had to say" and hung up.

The Washington Post wrote in its article that in just one night reporters were independently able to identify three Vai translators available to assist in the case. It noted that the need for interpreters has risen starkly in Montgomery County, Md., with the court system spending $1 million in interpreters in 2006, or 10 times the amount it spent in 2000.

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.



WTF!? this is just sad. no reason why he should be let go. though 3 years is silly. Espially when the guy speaks english.

man it just pisses me off. the guy can rape a 7 yr old and get away with it.

Moved to P&N...
Anandtech Moderator - bsobel

 

waggy

No Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
68,143
10
81
Originally posted by: Citrix
attended high school and community college here

errr so what language did he use while in high school and CC?

English.

In fact he had a interview with reporters. he even talked to the police in english.
 

EagleKeeper

Discussion Club Moderator<br>Elite Member
Staff member
Oct 30, 2000
42,589
5
0
1) Alleged rape

2) The psychiatrist is the one that is to blame, not the court.

3) Why can the newpaper find interpreters but not the court. Possibly because the court went about the issue the wrong way? Or the people were not in the county.

4) Interesting the the embassy could not assist.
 

OutHouse

Lifer
Jun 5, 2000
36,410
616
126
Originally posted by: waggy
Originally posted by: Citrix
attended high school and community college here

errr so what language did he use while in high school and CC?

English.

In fact he had a interview with reporters. he even talked to the police in english.

so why does he need a interpeter?

Im anxious to hear what Bill O'Riley says about this.
 

tw1164

Diamond Member
Dec 8, 1999
3,995
0
76
Aside from attending HS in the US, my local Community College requires non-english speaking persons to take the TOEFL test first. I wouldn't be surprised if he had to too. I just have to scratch my head in sadness and confusion,
 

waggy

No Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
68,143
10
81
Originally posted by: Citrix
Originally posted by: waggy
Originally posted by: Citrix
attended high school and community college here

errr so what language did he use while in high school and CC?

English.

In fact he had a interview with reporters. he even talked to the police in english.

so why does he need a interpeter?

Im anxious to hear what Bill O'Riley says about this.

court-ordered psychiatrist determined that Kanneh, despite his functional facility with English ? he originally spoke with detectives in English, The Post reports, needed to have Vai spoken in order to understand the proceedings against him



why a psychiatrist?
 

TehMac

Diamond Member
Aug 18, 2006
9,976
3
71
Originally posted by: CitrixIm anxious to hear what Bill O'Riley says about this.
If Billy says what I think he will, I'll be in agreeance with him.
 

2Xtreme21

Diamond Member
Jun 13, 2004
7,044
0
0
Man that's something I have to try if I'm ever put on trial. "Please, I don't understand the charges. Find someone that speaks Klingon and I'll be able to partake in this."
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
Originally posted by: dmcowen674
Originally posted by: DeeKnow
don't you just love the American legal system !

He obviously has a lot of money (most likely drug or oil related or both) and bought his way out of the system.
Trolling or just plain dumb. There's hope if it's the first, less if the latter.

 

MadRat

Lifer
Oct 14, 1999
11,960
278
126
This is a case where I think the case should of gone through trial as is then let him appeal his way back to freedom.
 

Rainsford

Lifer
Apr 25, 2001
17,515
0
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I think a proper defense should absolutely require that the defendant understands the proceedings...but this guys seems to speak, if not perfect, then at least functional English. Having a translator for his native language might be the best possible solution, but given that he clearly speaks and understands English, it doesn't seem worth dismissing the case over.
 

Moonbeam

Elite Member
Nov 24, 1999
73,782
6,515
126
The crushing reality, the horrible and unending truth, is that you can't un-rape a kid. God help our souls to heal. Probably the same thing happened to this perp.
 

jman19

Lifer
Nov 3, 2000
11,224
659
126
Originally posted by: dmcowen674
Originally posted by: DeeKnow
don't you just love the American legal system !

He obviously has a lot of money (most likely drug or oil related or both) and bought his way out of the system.

:laugh:
 

manowar821

Diamond Member
Mar 1, 2007
6,063
0
0
Originally posted by: Citrix
Originally posted by: waggy
Originally posted by: Citrix
attended high school and community college here

errr so what language did he use while in high school and CC?

English.

In fact he had a interview with reporters. he even talked to the police in english.

so why does he need a interpeter?

Im anxious to hear what Bill O'Riley says about this.

Why..? Why would you give a crap about anything that comes out of that douche-bags mouth? Even if it actually makes sense, it's still laced with partisan idiocy, with a pinch of asshole.

That's one of the more disgusting quotes I've seen here in a while... Anxious to hear what Bill O'Riley says... You should be ashamed. Nothing good comes out of that mans mouth.
 

halik

Lifer
Oct 10, 2000
25,696
1
0
Wow whoever is defending this guy is pretty brilliant - very interesting angle from the legal stand point of view.

In any case, you guys are forgetting the whole 'innocent until proven guilty' thing.
 

jonks

Lifer
Feb 7, 2005
13,918
20
81
Originally posted by: halik
Wow whoever is defending this guy is pretty brilliant - very interesting angle from the legal stand point of view.

In any case, you guys are forgetting the whole 'innocent until proven guilty' thing.

In a court of law he will be considered innocent. Because we have a justice system. I can't personally put him in prison so I don't have to abide by that.
 

OutHouse

Lifer
Jun 5, 2000
36,410
616
126
Originally posted by: manowar821
Originally posted by: Citrix
Originally posted by: waggy
Originally posted by: Citrix
attended high school and community college here

errr so what language did he use while in high school and CC?

English.

In fact he had a interview with reporters. he even talked to the police in english.

so why does he need a interpeter?

Im anxious to hear what Bill O'Riley says about this.

Why..? Why would you give a crap about anything that comes out of that douche-bags mouth? Even if it actually makes sense, it's still laced with partisan idiocy, with a pinch of asshole.

That's one of the more disgusting quotes I've seen here in a while... Anxious to hear what Bill O'Riley says... You should be ashamed. Nothing good comes out of that mans mouth.

STFU! you dont like him dont watch or listen to him. dont like what i like? to f*cking bad i wasnt put on this earth to please you.