Showing posts with label Courthouse. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Courthouse. Show all posts
Deaf News: Profoundly Deaf woman allegedly raped by two men in caravan through a social media site in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
BELFAST -- A profoundly Deaf woman was allegedly raped by two men in a caravan after arranging a meeting over social media, a court heard today.
Police claimed one of the pair had manipulated and coerced her into getting a taxi to the traveller site in west Belfast. The woman has also alleged her drink may have been spiked during the incident on the Glen Road early last Friday.
David Spence, 18, and Francis Gavin, 23, appeared before magistrates in the city accused of carrying out the sex attack. Both men deny charges of rape, insisting all contact with the woman in her thirties was consensual.
Spence, a trainee joiner from Ardcaoin Avenue in the Dunmurry area, was granted bail on conditions that include a ban on accessing computers. But Gavin, of Glen Road Heights in Belfast, remains in custody while checks are carried out on proposed addresses.
A judge was told the woman had been in contact with Spence through a social media site before a meeting was arranged. Describing her as vulnerable, an investigating detective said she made it clear that she was not interested in having sex at the encounter.
The officer claimed Spence had ignored requests to come to her house, instead arranging for a taxi to bring her to the Glen Road traveller encampment. Following the alleged attack he said she left the caravan and walked a quarter of a mile down a lane in the dark before reporting the incident at the first house with lights on.
Defence barrister Tom McCreanor, for Spence, put it to the officer that his client and the woman had "intimate and suggestive" social media exchanges before meeting.
The detective replied: "She does mention she likes sex. However, she is saying that's within a long-term relationship." Photographs were also sent between her and Spence, the court heard. Asked if the woman's vulnerability related to a hearing issue, the officer said: "This lady is profoundly Deaf."
He also claimed: "From the content of text messages there was bit of manipulation or coercion." But Mr McCreanor argued that his client had been in "consensual and encouraged communication" with the woman.
He told the court she willingly got a taxi to the caravan and was never prevented from leaving.
Granting bail for Spence to return to court in four weeks, District Judge Fiona Bagnall ordered him to live with his parents under curfew. He was banned from using mobile phones, computers and accessing social media sites, and must not go near either the alleged victim's home or the traveller site.
Gavin also faces unrelated charges of common assault, criminal damage to a window and possession of a knuckle duster over an incident on January 25.
Defence solicitor Eamon O'Connor stressed his client is not accused of making any of the arrangements to meet the alleged rape victim.
"He was at the site when the alleged injured party arrived," Mr O'Connor said. "He made the case in ten interviews that any contact between himself and this lady was entirely by consent."
During cross-examination the detective confirmed the woman claimed her drink may have been spiked. Forensic tests are still being carried out to establish if there is any substance to her concerns. But with police claiming Gavin has used six addresses in the last five years, his bail application was adjourned for further checks on where he might live if released. Source
BELFAST -- A profoundly Deaf woman was allegedly raped by two men in a caravan after arranging a meeting over social media, a court heard today.Police claimed one of the pair had manipulated and coerced her into getting a taxi to the traveller site in west Belfast. The woman has also alleged her drink may have been spiked during the incident on the Glen Road early last Friday.
David Spence, 18, and Francis Gavin, 23, appeared before magistrates in the city accused of carrying out the sex attack. Both men deny charges of rape, insisting all contact with the woman in her thirties was consensual.
Spence, a trainee joiner from Ardcaoin Avenue in the Dunmurry area, was granted bail on conditions that include a ban on accessing computers. But Gavin, of Glen Road Heights in Belfast, remains in custody while checks are carried out on proposed addresses.
A judge was told the woman had been in contact with Spence through a social media site before a meeting was arranged. Describing her as vulnerable, an investigating detective said she made it clear that she was not interested in having sex at the encounter.
The officer claimed Spence had ignored requests to come to her house, instead arranging for a taxi to bring her to the Glen Road traveller encampment. Following the alleged attack he said she left the caravan and walked a quarter of a mile down a lane in the dark before reporting the incident at the first house with lights on.
Defence barrister Tom McCreanor, for Spence, put it to the officer that his client and the woman had "intimate and suggestive" social media exchanges before meeting.
The detective replied: "She does mention she likes sex. However, she is saying that's within a long-term relationship." Photographs were also sent between her and Spence, the court heard. Asked if the woman's vulnerability related to a hearing issue, the officer said: "This lady is profoundly Deaf."
He also claimed: "From the content of text messages there was bit of manipulation or coercion." But Mr McCreanor argued that his client had been in "consensual and encouraged communication" with the woman.
He told the court she willingly got a taxi to the caravan and was never prevented from leaving.
Granting bail for Spence to return to court in four weeks, District Judge Fiona Bagnall ordered him to live with his parents under curfew. He was banned from using mobile phones, computers and accessing social media sites, and must not go near either the alleged victim's home or the traveller site.
Gavin also faces unrelated charges of common assault, criminal damage to a window and possession of a knuckle duster over an incident on January 25.
Defence solicitor Eamon O'Connor stressed his client is not accused of making any of the arrangements to meet the alleged rape victim.
"He was at the site when the alleged injured party arrived," Mr O'Connor said. "He made the case in ten interviews that any contact between himself and this lady was entirely by consent."
During cross-examination the detective confirmed the woman claimed her drink may have been spiked. Forensic tests are still being carried out to establish if there is any substance to her concerns. But with police claiming Gavin has used six addresses in the last five years, his bail application was adjourned for further checks on where he might live if released. Source
VIDEO - Deaf News: Court reverses conviction of man accused of sexual abuse at Maryland School for the Deaf.
FREDERICK, MD -- The state's second-highest court reversed the conviction of a Deaf man accused of sexually abusing two girls at the Maryland School for the Deaf because he wasn't able to question the interpreter's translation of his responses during a police interrogation.
The Court of Special Appeals said Clarence Cepheus Taylor III, 40, was denied his constitutional right to confront and cross-examine the interpreter during his trial in Howard County Circuit Court in November 2013, the opinion said. Taylor said an interpreter who translated during his five-hour interrogation with a Howard County police detective had incorrectly interpreted his sign-language statements.
"It becomes kind of a game of telephone. A lot can be lost in those steps," said Taylor's attorney, Brandon Mead. He said Taylor's family has suffered, and his client has maintained his innocence.
Howard County state's attorney's office spokesman T. Wayne Kirwan said the office intends to appeal.
Taylor, who worked as a school aide, was sentenced to seven years in February 2014 after being found guilty of sexually abusing a 10-year-old girl and a 12-year-old girl at the Columbia campus. Read The Full Article
Related:
Verdict In Maryland Deaf School Sex Abuse Case
Maryland School For The Deaf Abuse Sex Case
Courtroom Sign Language Prohibited Raise Concerns
Deaf Aide Teacher Charged With Sexual Abuse
Maryland Court Reverses Deaf Sex Conviction
Related Post: @Deaf Schools
FREDERICK, MD -- The state's second-highest court reversed the conviction of a Deaf man accused of sexually abusing two girls at the Maryland School for the Deaf because he wasn't able to question the interpreter's translation of his responses during a police interrogation.The Court of Special Appeals said Clarence Cepheus Taylor III, 40, was denied his constitutional right to confront and cross-examine the interpreter during his trial in Howard County Circuit Court in November 2013, the opinion said. Taylor said an interpreter who translated during his five-hour interrogation with a Howard County police detective had incorrectly interpreted his sign-language statements.
"It becomes kind of a game of telephone. A lot can be lost in those steps," said Taylor's attorney, Brandon Mead. He said Taylor's family has suffered, and his client has maintained his innocence.
Howard County state's attorney's office spokesman T. Wayne Kirwan said the office intends to appeal.
Taylor, who worked as a school aide, was sentenced to seven years in February 2014 after being found guilty of sexually abusing a 10-year-old girl and a 12-year-old girl at the Columbia campus. Read The Full Article
Related:
Verdict In Maryland Deaf School Sex Abuse Case
Maryland School For The Deaf Abuse Sex Case
Courtroom Sign Language Prohibited Raise Concerns
Deaf Aide Teacher Charged With Sexual Abuse
Maryland Court Reverses Deaf Sex Conviction
Related Post: @Deaf Schools
EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Clarence Taylor III found guilty of sex abuse at Maryland School for the Deaf.
FREDERICK, MD -- A Howard County Circuit Court jury in the Maryland School for the Deaf sex abuse case handed down a mixed result Wedneday, finding the defendant guilty of two charges of child sexual abuse, not guilty of one count and declaring a mistrial in the four remaining counts.
Clarence Cepheus Taylor III, 38, was found guilty by the 12-member jury, who began deliberations Friday, of groping two girls while working as an aide at the school from 2008 to 2011.
Taylor, who is Deaf, had his bond revoked by Judge William Tucker and is scheduled to be sentenced on the two guilty verdicts on Jan. 31, 2014, with a retrial on the four non-decision counts scheduled for May 21, 2014.
A split verdict is reached by jurors and a mistrial is declared by the judge for some charges in the Howard County sexual abuse trial of a former aide for the Maryland School for the Deaf. Barry Simms files this report on 11 News at Noon.
Earlier in the trial, three counts of solicitation of child pornography were dropped by the State's Attorney's office after the prosecution could not prove the events happened in Howard County.
Those charges accused Taylor of text messaging three of the students and requesting pictures of their breasts, according to the prosecution.
Taylor faces a maximum of 50 years in prison 25 years for each guilty count. According to prosecutor and Assistant State's Attorney Lisa Broten, the state's recommendations for such convictions usually fall between seven and 13 years per count.
As Taylor was handcuffed after his bond was revoked, his wife, who is on leave from her employment at the school, left the courtroom fighthing tears.
A split verdict was reached in the sexual abuse trial of a former aide for the Maryland School for the Deaf, prompting the Howard County judge to call a mistrial for some charges.
Taylor's defense attorney, Brandon Mead, said he recommended Taylor file an appeal, citing Tucker's jury instructions... Read The Full Story.
Related:
Verdict In Maryland Deaf School Sex Abuse Case
Maryland School For The Deaf Abuse Sex Case
Courtroom Sign Language Prohibited Raise Concerns
Deaf Aide Teacher Charged With Sexual Abuse
Maryland Court Reverses Deaf Sex Conviction
FREDERICK, MD -- A Howard County Circuit Court jury in the Maryland School for the Deaf sex abuse case handed down a mixed result Wedneday, finding the defendant guilty of two charges of child sexual abuse, not guilty of one count and declaring a mistrial in the four remaining counts. Clarence Cepheus Taylor III, 38, was found guilty by the 12-member jury, who began deliberations Friday, of groping two girls while working as an aide at the school from 2008 to 2011.
Taylor, who is Deaf, had his bond revoked by Judge William Tucker and is scheduled to be sentenced on the two guilty verdicts on Jan. 31, 2014, with a retrial on the four non-decision counts scheduled for May 21, 2014.
A split verdict is reached by jurors and a mistrial is declared by the judge for some charges in the Howard County sexual abuse trial of a former aide for the Maryland School for the Deaf. Barry Simms files this report on 11 News at Noon.
Earlier in the trial, three counts of solicitation of child pornography were dropped by the State's Attorney's office after the prosecution could not prove the events happened in Howard County.
Those charges accused Taylor of text messaging three of the students and requesting pictures of their breasts, according to the prosecution.
Taylor faces a maximum of 50 years in prison 25 years for each guilty count. According to prosecutor and Assistant State's Attorney Lisa Broten, the state's recommendations for such convictions usually fall between seven and 13 years per count.
As Taylor was handcuffed after his bond was revoked, his wife, who is on leave from her employment at the school, left the courtroom fighthing tears.
A split verdict was reached in the sexual abuse trial of a former aide for the Maryland School for the Deaf, prompting the Howard County judge to call a mistrial for some charges.
Taylor's defense attorney, Brandon Mead, said he recommended Taylor file an appeal, citing Tucker's jury instructions... Read The Full Story.
Related:
Verdict In Maryland Deaf School Sex Abuse Case
Maryland School For The Deaf Abuse Sex Case
Courtroom Sign Language Prohibited Raise Concerns
Deaf Aide Teacher Charged With Sexual Abuse
Maryland Court Reverses Deaf Sex Conviction
RAW VIDEO: Cop kicks legally Deaf man in the face during arrest in Canada.
COLD LAKE, AB. - A YouTube video of an Alberta RCMP officer kicking Richard Claybert in the face has sparked an investigation and caught the attention of the province.
According to a statement released by RCMP, three officers from the Cold Lake detachment responded to complaints of a noisy party in a parking lot of a community hall early Saturday, Sept. 22.
While responding, one of the party organizers asked for police assistance in clearing the crowd. An intoxicated man refused to leave and two officers began the process of putting the man under arrest while the third officer continued crowd control. According to Metro Edmonton, it was the third time police were called to the hall that night.
RCMP have identified the man being arrested as 21-year-old Richard Claybert.
In the grainy, shaky footage posted to YouTube, Claybert appears face-down on the ground while two officers attempt to handcuff him. Onlookers taunt and yell at the officers and you can hear one man shouting "Seven-11 for the rest of your life, man. Seven-11," although it is not clear whether it is coming from a bystander or an officer... Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/09/26/richard-claybert-kicked-in-face-cold-lake-rcmp_n_1916888.html
COLD LAKE, AB. - A YouTube video of an Alberta RCMP officer kicking Richard Claybert in the face has sparked an investigation and caught the attention of the province.
According to a statement released by RCMP, three officers from the Cold Lake detachment responded to complaints of a noisy party in a parking lot of a community hall early Saturday, Sept. 22.
While responding, one of the party organizers asked for police assistance in clearing the crowd. An intoxicated man refused to leave and two officers began the process of putting the man under arrest while the third officer continued crowd control. According to Metro Edmonton, it was the third time police were called to the hall that night.
RCMP have identified the man being arrested as 21-year-old Richard Claybert.
In the grainy, shaky footage posted to YouTube, Claybert appears face-down on the ground while two officers attempt to handcuff him. Onlookers taunt and yell at the officers and you can hear one man shouting "Seven-11 for the rest of your life, man. Seven-11," although it is not clear whether it is coming from a bystander or an officer... Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/09/26/richard-claybert-kicked-in-face-cold-lake-rcmp_n_1916888.html
VIDEO: Deaf man shot during attempted robbery in Pennsylvania.
KENSINGTON, PA. - Deaf man shot during attempted robbery in Kensington.
Philadelphia police are investigating the shooting of a Deaf man in Kensington early Tuesday morning.
The shooting happened around 4:15 a.m. on the 1800 block of East Thayer Street.
Police say a Deaf man in his 20s was sitting on the front steps of a house with some friends when a suspect approached and announced a robbery.
Investigators say the suspect demanded money from the victim but the man did not understand. That is when the suspect fired a shot, hitting the victim in the stomach.
The victim was taken to the hospital and is listed in critical condition. Read more: http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=8823746
KENSINGTON, PA. - Deaf man shot during attempted robbery in Kensington.
Philadelphia police are investigating the shooting of a Deaf man in Kensington early Tuesday morning.
The shooting happened around 4:15 a.m. on the 1800 block of East Thayer Street.
Police say a Deaf man in his 20s was sitting on the front steps of a house with some friends when a suspect approached and announced a robbery.
Investigators say the suspect demanded money from the victim but the man did not understand. That is when the suspect fired a shot, hitting the victim in the stomach.
The victim was taken to the hospital and is listed in critical condition. Read more: http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=8823746
EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: NEW YORK CITY - Justice is blind, but that’s no help if you’re Deaf. A suspect in a Bronx murder is trying to get his videotaped confession tossed because he says he was misunderstood and confused by a sign-language interpreter.
Following a tip, cold-case investigators nabbed Gabriel Thompson, 48, in 2010 — 25 years after he allegedly stabbed and killed a man who was having an affair with Thompson’s live-in girlfriend.
Prosecutors say Thompson confessed to the murder, but he claims the cop who interpreted his answers during an interrogation ignored his request for a lawyer and misconstrued him.
Thompson says it was also not clear to him that the person asking questions during the session was actually a prosecutor trying to gather evidence to charge him with the murder of Miguel Lopez... Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/bronx/cop_missed_the_signs_deaf_slay_suspect
Following a tip, cold-case investigators nabbed Gabriel Thompson, 48, in 2010 — 25 years after he allegedly stabbed and killed a man who was having an affair with Thompson’s live-in girlfriend.
Prosecutors say Thompson confessed to the murder, but he claims the cop who interpreted his answers during an interrogation ignored his request for a lawyer and misconstrued him.
Thompson says it was also not clear to him that the person asking questions during the session was actually a prosecutor trying to gather evidence to charge him with the murder of Miguel Lopez... Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/bronx/cop_missed_the_signs_deaf_slay_suspect
EXCLUSICE VIDEO: Former Onondaga County family court judge Bryan R. Hedges is accused of sexually abusing his 5-year-old Deaf niece 40 years ago.
SYRACUSE, NY - Ellen Cantwell Warner, the suspected victim in this case, spoke out at Vera House in Syracuse Thursday.
"An experience like this would be difficult for any child growing up, but it is especially difficult for a Deaf child, whose communication is limited. He preyed on my deafness," says Warner.
"40 years of trauma have finally come to an end. I am at peace. The truth has set me free. I feel like a butterfly that has finally emerged."... Read more: http://www.cnycentral.com/news/story
Ellen Warner is holding a press conference after coming forward to say she was sexually abused... Read more: http://www.cnycentral.com/news/story
SYRACUSE, NY - Ellen Cantwell Warner, the suspected victim in this case, spoke out at Vera House in Syracuse Thursday.
"An experience like this would be difficult for any child growing up, but it is especially difficult for a Deaf child, whose communication is limited. He preyed on my deafness," says Warner.
"40 years of trauma have finally come to an end. I am at peace. The truth has set me free. I feel like a butterfly that has finally emerged."... Read more: http://www.cnycentral.com/news/story
Ellen Warner is holding a press conference after coming forward to say she was sexually abused... Read more: http://www.cnycentral.com/news/story
