Baltazar-Monterrosa v. State

137 P.3d 1137, 122 Nev. 606, 122 Nev. Adv. Rep. 56, 2006 Nev. LEXIS 76
CourtNevada Supreme Court
DecidedJuly 13, 2006
Docket44302
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 137 P.3d 1137 (Baltazar-Monterrosa v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nevada Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Baltazar-Monterrosa v. State, 137 P.3d 1137, 122 Nev. 606, 122 Nev. Adv. Rep. 56, 2006 Nev. LEXIS 76 (Neb. 2006).

Opinion

137 P.3d 1137 (2006)

Jose Manuel BALTAZAR-MONTERROSA, A/K/A Jose Manuel Baltazar-Monterossa, Appellant,
v.
The STATE of Nevada, Respondent.

No. 44302.

Supreme Court of Nevada.

July 13, 2006.

*1139 Jeremy T. Bosler, Public Defender, and Cheryl D. Bond, Deputy Public Defender, Washoe County, for Appellant.

George Chanos, Attorney General, Carson City; Richard A. Gammick, District Attorney, and Joseph R. Plater III, Deputy District Attorney, Washoe County, for Respondent.

Before DOUGLAS, BECKER and PARRAGUIRRE, JJ.

OPINION

BECKER, J.

In this case, we consider whether recorded police interviews with non-English-speaking defendants must be conducted by certified translators unconnected to the police department. We also consider the procedures a district court should utilize in deciding whether to admit translated statements when faced with an objection to their admission based on inaccuracies in the translation.

We conclude that police interviews need not be conducted by an independent interpreter. We further conclude that when a dispute arises over the accuracy of the translation, the district court should appoint an independent and, if available, certified interpreter to review the disputed statements and provide an independent translation. The district court should then review any alleged translation discrepancies to determine whether they fundamentally alter the context or substance of the statement. When fundamental differences exist, the statements should not be admitted. Finally, if the district court decides to admit the statements, it must provide all versions of the statements for consideration by the trier of fact.

Here, at trial, the State and appellant, Jose Baltazar-Monterrosa, stipulated to the overall accuracy of the police translations, and the court interpreters who raised the translation issue testified that they agreed with the stipulation. On these facts, we conclude that the district court did not abuse its discretion in admitting the police interviews and that appellant's due process right to a fair trial was not violated.

Because we conclude that the admission of the statements was not error and appellant's other contentions on appeal do not warrant a reversal of the convictions, we affirm appellant's convictions.[1]

*1140 FACTS

Paul E. Werner's body was discovered lying in the stairwell of the Americana Inn in Reno. Werner had been beaten and asphyxiated, likely by ligature. His residence key, as well as his watch and ATM/check card, which he had possessed earlier in the day according to his daughter, was found in Room 311, Baltazar-Monterrosa's room. Werner's and Baltazar-Monterrosa's DNA were found in Room 311, as well as on each other's clothing. Werner's shirt also exhibited bloody impressions in a pattern consistent with Baltazar-Monterrosa's right shoe. The DNA of a third unidentified individual was also present at the scene.

Juan Morales-Fernandez, a friend of Baltazar-Monterrosa, testified that he encountered Baltazar-Monterrosa on the evening Werner's body was discovered. Morales-Fernandez noticed blood on Baltazar-Monterrosa's clothing and testified that Baltazar-Monterrosa confessed to killing a man, taking his money, and pushing the body down the stairs. However, during Morales-Fernandez's two initial interviews with police, he did not inform them of Baltazar-Monterrosa's admission, later explaining that he was afraid of Baltazar-Monterrosa and his family and feared becoming embroiled in the situation. Nevertheless, at his third police interview, Morales-Fernandez informed police of Baltazar-Monterrosa's admission.

When Baltazar-Monterrosa and Morales-Fernandez returned to the Americana Inn in the early morning hours, the police were present. Noticing blood on Baltazar-Monterrosa's pants, the police proceeded to interview Baltazar-Monterrosa on two separate occasions at the Reno Police Department. Spanish-speaking police officers interpreted for Baltazar-Monterrosa, and both interviews were videotaped. In the first interview, Baltazar-Monterrosa denied involvement in any crime. However, in the second interview, according to the interpreter's translation, Baltazar-Monterrosa eventually stated that he had participated in Werner's killing, along with another person known to him only as "Gordo." Baltazar-Monterrosa also acknowledged that he had agreed with Gordo that they were going to take Werner's money. Police unsuccessfully attempted to locate Gordo.

At trial, the videotapes of Baltazar-Monterrosa's two interviews were played for the jury, and the two police interpreters testified that, upon review, their translations were accurate. Afterwards, however, the defense raised a translation issue, noting that the court interpreters informed them that the police interpreters' translations in the video were not word-for-word and that there were additions and omissions. The district court expressed concern over the defense's failure to have a Spanish speaker review the videotapes for accuracy. The court considered declaring a mistrial, suggested that the defense have an interpreter review the tapes that afternoon, while the trial continued, to determine the extent of the inaccuracies, and scheduled a hearing on the matter the next day.

The next day the State and Baltazar-Monterrosa, in consultation with his attorneys, stipulated to the fundamental accuracy of the police translations. Specifically, the stipulation read

As you have seen, [the detectives'] two taped interviews of Jose Baltazar utilize two police interpreters . . . . The parties stipulate and agree that the interpreters translated all of the major points of the interviews accurately. However, the interviews were not a simultaneous word-for-word translation. Simultaneous word-for-word translation is required in courtroom proceedings, but is not required in a police interview.

Both court interpreters testified that they agreed to the stipulation, and both parties declined to examine the court interpreters. The stipulation was incorporated into the jury instructions.

After deliberations, the jury found Baltazar-Monterrosa guilty of one count each of first-degree murder and robbery. Baltazar-Monterrosa now appeals.

DISCUSSION

Baltazar-Monterrosa's due process rights were not violated by the admission of the disputed translation statements made to the police

On appeal, Baltazar-Monterrosa argues that he was convicted on incompetent evidence *1141 because the police interpreters' translations of his statements were made by biased officers and were inaccurate. Baltazar-Monterrosa claims that the admission of the statements violated his right to a fair trial under the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. We disagree.

Police interviews of non-English-speaking defendants need not be conducted by an independent interpreter

Baltazar-Monterrosa argues that the police interpreters in this case were biased and that police interviews of non-English-speakers should be conducted by independent interpreters under NRS 50.054. We disagree.

In Commonwealth v. Carrillo,[2] the Superior Court of Pennsylvania refused "to adopt a per se

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Vasquez-Reyes (Armando) v. State
Nevada Supreme Court, 2022
Zecena-Valdez (Selvin) Vs. State
Nevada Supreme Court, 2020
Hamrick (James) v. State
Nevada Supreme Court, 2019
CARROLL (DEANGELO) VS. STATE
2016 NV 23 (Nevada Supreme Court, 2016)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
137 P.3d 1137, 122 Nev. 606, 122 Nev. Adv. Rep. 56, 2006 Nev. LEXIS 76, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/baltazar-monterrosa-v-state-nev-2006.