Opinion
NO. 3:10-00260
03-12-2012
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. ABDIFATAH ADAN, et al
Respectfully submitted, JERRY E. MARTIN United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Blanche B. Cook Assistant United States Attorney Blanche B. Cook Assistant United States Attorney
JUDGE HAYNES
GOVERNMENT'S MOTION FOR A PRE-TRIAL HEARING TO DETERMINE THE
ADMISSIBILITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE TRANSCRIPTS
Comes now, the United States, by and through the undersigned, and respectfully moves this Honorable Court to issue an order for a pre-trial conference in order to establish the admissibility of several foreign language translations. The instant prosecution involves numerous jail calls between Defendants discussing their criminal activities in Somali. At trial, the Government will seek to introduce translations of these calls. In anticipation of this evidence, the Government asks this Court to have a pre-trial hearing to determine the admissibility of the transcripts. In support of its motion, the Government sets forth the following:
"[I]t is the independent duty of the district court to make sure that '[a]ll pleadings and proceedings ... be conducted in the English language.'" 48 U.S.C. § 864; United States. v. Rivera-Rosario, 300 F.3d 1, 10 (1st Cir. 2002); see also United States v. Gallo, 763 F.2d 1504, 1530 (6th Cir.1985) (ruling that "it is the duty of the court, not the attorneys, to meet the Act's requirements"). "[W]hen a district court violates the English language requirement and allows non-English language evidence to be admitted without translation, both parties are prejudiced by the fact that the appellate court cannot review the non-English language evidence." Id.
In United States v. Garcia, the Sixth Circuit acknowledged an acceptable procedure for the presentation of foreign language transcripts. 20 F.3d 670, 673 (6th Cir. 1994). At a pretrial hearing, a professional translator can testify to the accuracy of the translation. If the translation is not purely literal, the expert can state that it departs only so idioms and other forms of speech make sense in English. Defendants may also offer alternative translations. Id. (citing United States v. Cruz, 765 F.2d 1020, 1023 (11th Cir.1985) (defendant cannot complain if he does not offer a substitute version of transcript)).
To the extent any Defendant argues that it is not possible to fully translate Somali, "[t]he difficulty in translating foreign languages is not by itself a basis for excluding a translation, and no abuse of discretion occurs where . . . the defendant does not offer a substitute version of the transcript." See United States v. Martinez, 21 Fed.Appx. 338 (6th Cir. 2001) (citing United States v. Garcia, 20 F.3d 670, 672-73 (6th Cir.1994)).
In keeping with Garcia, the Government moves the Court to set and conduct a pre-trial hearing in which the Government can present its translations and testimony from its interpreter.
During the hearing, the Defendants can produce any counter veiling translation.
Respectfully submitted,
JERRY E. MARTIN
United States Attorney for the
Middle District of Tennessee
______________________
Blanche B. Cook
Assistant United States Attorney
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I, hereby certify that a true copy of the forgoing was sent via the Court's electronic filing system or, if not registered, deposited in the United States mail to the following on this 27th day of February 2012.
______________________
Blanche B. Cook
Assistant United States Attorney
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ ¦Abdifitah Jama Adan (1) John ¦Andrew Kayachith (17) ¦ ¦P. Cauley ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦John E. Nicoll ¦ ¦414 Bridge Street ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦Law Office of Nicoll & Nicoll 313 S Ramsey ¦ ¦Franklin, TN 37064 ¦Street ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦(615) 790-2426 ¦Manchester, TN 37355 ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦(615) 261-7070 (fax) ¦(931) 723-7885 john.nicoll@nicoll-law.com ¦ ¦john@johncauley.com ¦ ¦ +------------------------------+----------------------------------------------¦ ¦Abdullahi Sade Afyare (2) ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦James A. Simmons Hazel Path ¦ ¦ ¦Mansion 105 Hazel Path ¦Abdigadir Ahmed Khalif (18) ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦Hendersonville, TN 37075 ¦FUGITIVE - UNKNOWN LOCATION ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦(615) 824-9131 ¦ ¦ ¦jas52@earthlink.net ¦ ¦ +------------------------------+----------------------------------------------¦ ¦Ahmad Abnulnasir Ahmad (3) ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦Thomas J. Drake, Jr. ¦Bashir Yasin Mohamud (19) Bob Lynch, Jr. ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦405 1/2 31st Avenue North, ¦222 Second Avenue, N, Suite 316 ¦ ¦Suite B ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦Nashville, TN 37201 ¦ ¦Nashville, TN 37209 ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦(615) 255-2888 ¦ ¦(615)320-1717 ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦tdooley2@bellsouth.net ¦ ¦(615) 320-1718 (fax) ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦drakecourt@att.net ¦ ¦ +------------------------------+----------------------------------------------¦ ¦Yahya Jamal Ahmed (4) ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦James William Price, Jr. ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦Price, Hill & Kolarich ¦Mustafa Ahmed Mohamed (20) Clayton M. ¦ ¦ ¦Whittaker Mack & Wittaker 846 Oak Street ¦ ¦201 Fourth Avenue, N, Suite ¦ ¦ ¦1800 ¦Chattanooga, TN 37403 (423) 265-4736 ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦Nashville, TN 37219 ¦(423) 265-4815 (fax) ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦(615) 244-5772 ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦jprice@pricehillkolarich.com ¦ ¦ +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ ¦ ¦Barry R. Tidwell (21) Price & Tidwell, LLC ¦ ¦Abdikarim Osman Ali (5) ¦ ¦ ¦(Defendant) ¦218 W Main Street Murfreesboro, TN 37130 ¦ ¦ ¦(615)893-1239 ¦ ¦Fugitive - IN UAE ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦Email: btidwell@priceandtidwell.com ¦ +-------------------------------+---------------------------------------------¦ ¦Hassan Ahmed Dahir (7) ¦Abdifatah Sharif Omar (22) ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦Patrick T. McNally ¦Peter J. Strianse ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦Weatherly, McNally & Dixon, PLC¦Tune, Entrekin & White ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦Fifth Third Center ¦AmSouth Center ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦424 Church Street, Suite 2260 ¦315 Deaderick Street ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦Nashville, TN 37219 ¦Suite 1700 ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦(615) 986-3377 ¦Nashville, TN 37238 ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦(615) 635-0018 (fax) ¦(615) 244-2770 ¦ ¦pmcnally@wmdlawgroup.com ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦pstrianse@tewlawfirm.com ¦ +-------------------------------+---------------------------------------------¦ ¦Fadumo Mohamed Farah (8) Luke ¦Liban Sharif Omar (23) ¦ ¦A. Evans ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦Gary R. Wolf ¦ ¦Bullock, Fly, Hornsby & Evans ¦ ¦ ¦P. O. Box 398 Murfreesboro, TN ¦Commerce at the Crossing Suite 205 ¦ ¦37133 (615) 896-4154 ¦ ¦ ¦bfhlaw@gmail.com ¦250 Second Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55401¦ ¦ ¦(612)333-6000 ¦ +-------------------------------+---------------------------------------------¦ ¦Idris Ibrahim Fahra (9) ¦ ¦ ¦Jennifer L. Thompson 715 ¦Mohamed Sharif Omar (24) Erik Herbert 117 ¦ ¦Crescent Road Nashville, TN ¦Union Street Nashville, TN 37201 ¦ ¦37205 ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦615-256-6009 (615) 259-2666 (fax) ¦ ¦(615) 320-4344 ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦erikherbert@bellsouth.net ¦ ¦(615) 320-4159 (fax) ¦ ¦ ¦nashvilleattorney@gmail.com ¦ ¦ +-------------------------------+---------------------------------------------¦ ¦Yasin Ahmed Farah (10) Roger N.¦ ¦ ¦Taylor ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦Taylor & Schechter, P.C. ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦Hamdi Ali Osman (25) Jonathan E. Richardson ¦ ¦305 14th Avenue, N Nashville, ¦Attorney at Law Quorum Financial Center 4121 ¦ ¦TN 37203 ¦Clarksville Pike, Suite 7 Nashville, TN 37218¦ ¦ ¦(6115)891-7811 jrichardson@Jrichlaw.com ¦ ¦(615) 320-5577 (615) 320-5597 ¦ ¦ ¦(fax) ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦bo.taylor@305lawoffice.com ¦ ¦ +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ ¦Abdullahi Hashi (11) ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦David L. Cooper ¦Haji Osman Salad (26) Patrick G. Frogge ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦Law Office of David L. Cooper, P.¦Bell, Tennent & Frogge, PLLC ¦ ¦C. ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦Bank of America Plaza 414 Union Street, ¦ ¦208 Third Avenue, N, Suite 300 ¦Suite 904 Nashville, TN 37219 (615) ¦ ¦ ¦244-1110 (615) 244-1114 (fax) ¦ ¦Nashville, TN 37201 (615) ¦patrick@btflaw.com ¦ ¦256-1008 ¦ ¦ ¦dcooper@cooperlawfirm.com ¦ ¦ +---------------------------------+-------------------------------------------¦ ¦Fatah Hashi (12) ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦Bibi Ahmed Said (27) ¦ ¦John G. Oliva ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦Michael David Noel 5115 Maryland Way ¦ ¦1308 Rosa L. Parks Blvd ¦Brentwood, TN 37027 ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦Nashville, TN 37208 ¦(615) 373-5597 ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦(615) 254-0202 ¦mdnoel02@bellsouth.net ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦jgoliva@comcast.net ¦ ¦ +---------------------------------+-------------------------------------------¦ ¦Abdirahman Abdirazak Hersi (13) ¦ ¦ ¦Hershell D. Koger ¦Ahmed Aweys Sheik (28) B.F. Jack Lowery ¦ ¦ ¦Lowery & Lowery 150 Public Square ¦ ¦135 N First Street ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦Lebanon, TN 37087 (615) 444-7222 ¦ ¦P O Box 1148 Pulaski, TN ¦ ¦ ¦38478-1148 (931) 424-0882 ¦jdlowery@lowerylaw.com ¦ ¦kogerlaw@hotmail.com ¦ ¦ +---------------------------------+-------------------------------------------¦ ¦Muhiyadin Hussein Hassan (14) ¦Yassin Abdirahman Yusuf (29) David I. ¦ ¦Charles D. Buckholts 2400 ¦Komisar ¦ ¦Crestmoor Road ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦211 Printer's Alley Building, Suite 400 ¦ ¦Nashville, TN 37215 ¦Nashville, TN 37201-1414 ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦(615) 386-7118 (615) 232-3841 ¦(615) 242-2675 ¦ ¦(fax) ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦david.komisar@prodigy.net ¦ ¦chuck@buckholtslaw.com ¦ ¦ +---------------------------------+-------------------------------------------¦ ¦Dahir Nor Ibrahim (15) Jerry ¦Mohamed Ahmed Amalle (30) ¦ ¦Gonzalez Jerry Gonzalez, PLC ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦R. Lance Miller ¦ ¦2441-Q Old Fort Parkway, Box 381 ¦ ¦ ¦Murfreesboro, TN 37128 (615) ¦Lance Miller Law LLC ¦ ¦360-6060 (615) 360-3333 (fax) ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦212 Madison Street, Suite 101A ¦ ¦jgonzalez@jglaw.net ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦Clarksville, TN 37040 ¦ ¦Matthew M. Maddox 19695 East Main¦ ¦ ¦Street P. O. Box 827 Huntingdon, ¦(931)802-6180 ¦ ¦TN 38344 ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦(931)551-5331 Cell ¦ ¦(731) 986-4896 Fax: (731) ¦ ¦ ¦986-4896 ¦lance@lancemillerlaw.com ¦ +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ ¦Email: maddoxfedfile@bellsouth.net ¦¦ +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+¦ ¦Abdifatah Bashir Jama (16) Joseph F. Edwards 1957 Benson Road Cookeville, TN¦¦ ¦38506 (931)537-9154 jedwardsjd@frontiernet.net ¦¦ +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+