Michelle Malkin » Document drop: Charging papers for Mahamu D. Kanneh…victims were 7 and 1 1/2

Document drop: Charging papers for Mahamu D. Kanneh…victims were 7 and 1 1/2

By Michelle Malkin • July 24, 2007 01:33 PM

Yesterday, I posted the indictment of Mahamu D. Kanneh, the accused Liberian immigrant child molester let off because of a lack of a translator. I noted that there were nine counts against him involving not one, but two girls. Both are nieces of Kanneh. As other media outlets have reported, one of those girls was seven years old. What I have not seen noted elsewhere is the age of the other child.

She was one and half years old.

I asked the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office for the charging papers in the case.

Here’s the statement of probable cause:

Click on the thumbnails for full-size.

***

The Washington Post, which first blew the whistle on the case, follows up on the prosecutor’s appeal of the case dismissal:

Prosecutors in Montgomery County said yesterday that they intend to ask an appellate court to overturn a judge’s dismissal of a case against a Liberian immigrant charged with raping a young girl. The judge had ruled that repeated delays caused by the court’s failure to find an interpreter fluent in the accused man’s native dialect had violated his right to a speedy trial.

Mahamu D. Kanneh was arrested in August 2004 after witnesses told police he raped and repeatedly molested a 7-year-old relative. The case was dismissed last week, nearly three years later, by Circuit Court Judge Katherine D. Savage.

Montgomery County State’s Attorney John J. McCarthy said in a statement yesterday that the judge’s ruling should be overturned. “While the Defendant is presumed innocent, the charges are serious, and a trial on the merits of this case is what we hope to achieve through this appeal,” McCarthy said.

“The Court, under the extraordinary circumstances of this case, attempted multiple times to satisfy its obligations. The bottom line is that any delays caused by the attempt to find an appropriate and qualified interpreter is not attributable to the prosecution . . . and should not serve as the basis for dismissing the charges against the Defendant,” the statement said.

In her ruling July 17, Savage didn’t assign blame for the delay.

Posted in: Deportation Abyss, Document drop

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#1

On July 24th, 2007 at 4:39 pm, CC said:

I feel sick. Surely the pathetic judge knew this. There’s no longer an excuse for the language thing, because it turns out that the monster does speak enough English, and that there was a translator on hand.

I hope the prosecutor does not let this go.
#2

On July 24th, 2007 at 4:42 pm, KelliD said:

I’m there with you CC. Time for excuses is over. Thanks, Michelle, for keeping this front and center.
#3

On July 24th, 2007 at 4:52 pm, stonemeister said:

Does this mean that, if arrested, I can stall a trial by demanding a translator for my “dialect” of American English? I may misunderstand a word or some body english from the trial judge or a witness, and would thereby be denied a fair trial.
#4

On July 24th, 2007 at 4:54 pm, jrlingreenbay said:

I noted in a previous posting that according to the legal paperwork, a psychologist had certified that the defendant

a - understood the charges against him

b - was able to assist in his own defense

c - had an adequate understanding and ability in the English language ( although did recommend assistance )

So - he understands what he’s charged with, can assist in his defense, and can speak and understand english.

What’s the problem? Try the man!
#5

On July 24th, 2007 at 4:55 pm, Rusty said:

As sick as this, let’s remember that these “loopholes” are designed to protect the accused from corruption, abuse, and misconduct. Waiting for a trial for three years is absolutely absurd. It’s hard to blame the judge for being fed up.

If there truly was an intrepreter on hand and the judge erred, I’m confident that this will take care of itself and will end in a sexual abuse conviction. The system works.
#6

On July 24th, 2007 at 4:56 pm, Rusty said:

jrlingreenbay, Wow. If that’s the case, I have no idea what they were waiting for.
#7

On July 24th, 2007 at 5:10 pm, gayle said:

I heard last night that the embassy was right across the street from the court house.

Guess they needed a map to find an interpreter.
#8

On July 24th, 2007 at 5:29 pm, walterc said:

Since he’s from a country who’s “Official” language is English, was it the judge or the prosecutor that was hornswaggled by the defense? If the prosecutor didn’t think it was necessary, why didn’t they appeal the judges failure to schedule trial in a timely manner?

Sounds like a case of defense lawyer hocus pocus to me.
#9

On July 24th, 2007 at 5:43 pm, ajmontana said:

This sick piece of human waste knows enough about life in this or any other country no matter what the language is that he was breaking every law in the universe with a one and a half year old child. Shame on everyone envolved for letting this monster out of jail.
#10

On July 24th, 2007 at 5:44 pm, josetheguerilla said:

This makes my blood boil!!!! They need to put this guy on trial. What were his lawyers thinking. How could they not know the guy speaks english? What’s with the judge? This case makes me sick,sick, sick!!!!!!!
#11

On July 26th, 2007 at 12:57 pm, puhiawa said:

On July 24th, 2007 at 4:52 pm, stonemeister

I guess they will have to get Hillary Clinton as your translator. She be multi-lingual.