New Mexico says non-English speakers can be jurors
The New Mexico Supreme Court is cautioning trial courts and lawyers in the heavily Hispanic state that citizens who don't speak English have the right to serve on juries — a right enshrined in the state constitution even if people are non-English speakers.
The court issued the admonition Monday in a unanimous ruling that upholds an Albuquerque man's convictions for murder and other crimes in the 2004 bludgeoning death of his girlfriend and a subsequent armed robbery and stabbing.
Michael Anthony Samora's appeal argued that his convictions should be reversed because a Bernalillo County judge excused a Spanish-speaking prospective juror who had trouble understanding English.
The Supreme Court said it agrees with that argument but also said Samora's defense needed to object during the trial but didn't ...