Tuesday, January 21, 2003
Translation Error Overturns Rape Conviction in CO
The sex-assault convictions of a man who moved to Colorado from Afghanistan 12 years ago were thrown out on January 16th be because the man had both an ineffective translator and a lawyer who didn't speak his client's language or research his culture. As the Denver Post explained:
"Defense counsel admitted that he had no knowledge of Afghan Dari or Middle Eastern languages," Judge Jose Marquez wrote. "He also admitted that he did not question the interpreter about his qualifications to interpret or defendant's ability to understand the interpreter."
Marquez said the lawyer admitted he didn't explain the U.S. justice system to Amini or research Amini's cultural background.
Amini had an Iranian Farsi- speaking interpreter who didn't speak Dari and had never been to Afghanistan or studied Afghan languages, the opinion said.
|posted by Jim on 12:55 AM|
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