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vclip: Wright Trial: Video Interrogation

Click to watch the video interrogation  from 02/15/06. approximately 8. 34 minutes long  http://www.keloland.com/videoarchive/index.cfm?VideoFile=091306dinterview (click on the screened video player on the right side)

From today: 

Wright Trial: Video Interrogation

She admitted meeting Darlene VanderGiesen at the spot police found the murdered woman’s abandoned truck. Prosecutors say that proves Daphne Wright was the last person to see VanderGiesen alive. 

Jurors watched a police interrogation video today in the second day of testimony in Wright’s murder trial. When police brought in Daphne Wright for questioning, all they knew was that she and Darlene VanderGiesen had a minor argument. And they suspected that Wright sent her threatening emails. 

But they didn’t know about a meeting between the two deaf women at the Sioux Falls Pizza Hut on 26th and Sycamore, where police had recently found VanderGiesen’s abandoned truck. 

Wright: “You’re blaming me for something I didn’t do.” 

Detective Michael Olson: “I’m not blaming you for anything. I’m just stating some facts. I’m trying to figure out what happened with Darlene.” 

But then, through the sign language interpreter, Wright admitted planning a meeting at the Pizza Hut. She says she and VanderGiesen were going to plan a Valentine’s Day surprise for Wright’s girlfriend Sallie Collins. 

Wright says she cancelled the meeting. “Honestly, I did not meet Darlene in person. I did not.” 

Olson didn’t give up on that line of questioning. 

Olson: “I think you met her at Pizza Hut. I know you met her at Pizza Hut.” 

Wright: “No I didn’t.” 

Then Wright’s story changed again. She admitted meeting VanderGiesen in the parking lot, then leaving separately. 

Olson asked why her story keeps changing: 

Wright: “Because I’m scared. Because you’re blaming me.” 

Olson: “I’m not blaming you. I’m just trying to figure out where this person is missing.” 

At that point, police weren’t sure VanderGiesen was murdered. Just that she was missing. And prosecutors tell the jury that this video proves Wright was lying. 

Olson: “What happened to her?” 

Wright: “I don’t know.” 

Also testifying today was Daphne’s roommate Jacki Chesmore.

http://www.keloland.com/NewsDetail6162.cfm?Id=0,55975  (today’s vclip of Wright Interrogation is much shorter)

Lou Raguse
© 2007 KELOLAND TV. All Rights Reserved.

Commentary: Now that you have seen Daphne’s signings, do you feel she is capable of understanding hearing interpreters in a complicated legal trial without the assistance of a native ASL Deaf interpreter? I’ve already asked people who knew her, but I want your opinion from watching that interview. MZ

RELATED STORIES Wright’s Roommate Testifies http://www.keloland.com/NewsDetail6162.cfm?Id=0,5597204/03/2007 Wright Trial Continues http://www.keloland.com/NewsDetail6162.cfm?Id=0,55963
04/02/2007 Wright Trial: Day One Concludes http://www.keloland.com/NewsDetail6162.cfm?Id=0,5595404/02/2007 Wright Trial: Eight Witnesses Testify http://www.keloland.com/NewsDetail6162.cfm?Id=0,5594604/02/2007 Wright Trial: Opening Statements Finish http://www.keloland.com/NewsDetail6162.cfm?Id=0,5593804/02/2007 Security Heightened For Wright Trial http://www.keloland.com/NewsDetail6162.cfm?Id=0,5594204/02/2007 Wright Trial:Testimony Begins In Wright Murder Trial http://www.keloland.com/NewsDetail6162.cfm?Id=0,55931

03/30/2007 Courtroom Setup For Wright Trial http://www.keloland.com/NewsDetail6162.cfm?Id=0,55882

Comment Section: http://forums.keloland.com/showthread.php?t=185

email contact: mishkazena@aol.com

Mishkazena (TM) 2007

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 3rd, 2007 at 4:50 pm and is filed under Deaf Community, Domestic Violence. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

19 Responses to “vclip: Wright Trial: Video Interrogation”

  1. Margie Says:
    April 3rd, 2007 at 6:24 pm

    Her signs seem simple, but apparently she has no problem understanding the interpreters

  2. IamMine Says:
    April 3rd, 2007 at 6:34 pm

    I agree with Margie.

    Thanks for keeping us updated!

    We have to watch with hawk eyes with how the trial is going.

  3. Diane Says:
    April 3rd, 2007 at 6:38 pm

    Wish to see the interpreter’s signing so I can see if Daphne can follow or not. I can see that Daphne signs clearly.

  4. Pamela Says:
    April 3rd, 2007 at 7:09 pm

    Watch signs Daphne use. Legal words are too advance for her. Her friends tell me Daphne understand simple words

  5. Diane Says:
    April 3rd, 2007 at 7:31 pm

    Pamela .. it is possible that’s why I want to see the interpreter’s signing in the video.

  6. Cy Says:
    April 3rd, 2007 at 8:37 pm

    Darn. I can’t play the video. Apparently the video file is not comptiable with my computer or there is no comptiable software.

  7. Mishka Zena Says:
    April 3rd, 2007 at 9:13 pm

    Ignore the tiny picture on the left and click on the bigger screened video player on the right. The uploading takes few mins, then an ad runs for eleven seconds, then you can see Wright interrogation for over eight mins.

    Please let me know if any of you still dave difficulties running the videoclip.

  8. G Says:
    April 3rd, 2007 at 9:27 pm

    I think in order for Jurors to be able to come to some conclusion about the interrogation, both views - Daphene and the interpreter should both be in view otherwise it is bias.

    Daphene appears to me a typical deaf person that does not attend a college. More like high school graduate with vocational training or out in world rather than four year college level.

    this is just my opinion. And because i see it that way, must see what the interpreter signs. Do they have a qualified interpreter? Jury have to understand that all the officer’s questioning is not necessarily interpreted the way he wanted it to be interpreted not unless we SEE the terp!

    The fact that she changed her story so many times could mean two things, she is scared of being accused or just simply she is guilty.

  9. G Says:
    April 3rd, 2007 at 9:28 pm

    I am not able to see the related stories link. Can you fix it? Thanks much in advance

  10. Mishka Zena Says:
    April 3rd, 2007 at 9:47 pm

    G. The links have been repaired. Thanks for letting me know

  11. michele Says:
    April 3rd, 2007 at 10:32 pm

    It was very hard to see the interpreter so its difficult to say if Daphne was able to follow the line of questioning. She seemed relaxed and not scared so that bothered me about her body language - she acted as if the whole thing was waste of time.

  12. Casper Says:
    April 3rd, 2007 at 11:17 pm

    Check this blog and it will update by the hour. Chuck Baldwin (Probably works for the local newspaper) is keeping us inform with what is happening in the courtroom. By the way he has a good sense of humor. http://blogs.argusleadermedia.com/voices/

  13. IamMine Says:
    April 4th, 2007 at 7:09 am

    Good observation, michele.

    When she said she was scared, I didn’t see that at all.

    It’s hard to explain how to describe the interview.

    It was clear to me from looking at HER, she understood what was being said.

    Just look at the captioned questions and she did respond accordingly.

    Why do you need to look at the interpreter for that?

    If she didn’t answer correctly, then it’s assumed either she didn’t understand or the interpreter made a mistake.

  14. Mishka Zena Says:
    April 4th, 2007 at 8:09 am

    IamMine, I switched the original videoclip with the one dated last Sept because the Sept vclip is 8 mins long. that one doesn’t have captions. The other clip you saw was moved to the bottom of the article.

    I think I need to rephrase the question. I didn’t mean by understanding the simple questions the detective used during the interrogation. My question is, by watching her simple signs she uses, can she follow the arguments of a death penalty trial with advanced vocabulary, including complicated legal terms used by lawyers, detectives, and the experts?

  15. Diane Says:
    April 4th, 2007 at 10:15 am

    Watch for her mouth movement. Seems to be nervous. Gee I watched over over again. I think I am getting into this stuff now. I’ll hush. Smile

  16. Carl Schroeder Says:
    April 4th, 2007 at 6:19 pm

    I would like to comment that, in my personal and professional opinion, interpreting services for the Deaf are so erratic to the core that RID, NAD, and GIS (Gallaudet Interpreting Services) are unable to articulate and facilitate language interpreting strategies. Deaf people need interpreters because it is a language matter; they need translation between source language, be it ASL or English, and target language, be it different from the source language. However, these interpreting agencies are built on a notion that ASL as a visual, spatial language and English as a spoken, linear language can miraculously be conveyed “imbricately,” and they are now explaining away their souls about time gaps and lags–something we the Deaf are generally reluctant. We are never sure their work, and we are never told how well they have done.

    What we need to educate our society is that Daphne Wright needs ASL-English interpreters, not CI interpreters or CID inerpreters or both.

    Just some thoughts for you!

  17. Dianrez Says:
    April 7th, 2007 at 1:41 pm

    The sample was really not enough for me to evaluate, but the impression I get is that she understands and answers questions without need to repeat.

    Whether the answers are appropriate to the questions or off the point, I could not tell without seeing the interpreter as well.

    Daphne seems to be alert and responsive, and is aware of the situation. Her mouth movements indicate some emotion.

    She talked about “two men” in a couple of scenes, which was not captioned nor was in the reported court record of the interrogation. Did the interpreter understand this?

    Her short answers give me the feeling that a Deaf interpreter might have helped the interrogation greatly, either for her presumed innocence or for building a more solid case for her guilt.

  18. Mishka Zena Says:
    April 7th, 2007 at 5:15 pm

    Same here Dianrez. I couldn’t tell much here, either.

    However, Deaf people who know her personally alerted me that she won’t understand the legal proceeding with CDI. If not for them, I wouldn’t have given it another thought.

  19. Watchful Eyes Says:
    April 8th, 2007 at 9:48 am

    I think a CDI should be at present to serve the role as a monitor interpreter. By this defintion, the CDI will watch both Daphne and the hearing interpreter to ensure the information is being faciliated correctly.

    I noticed one part where Daphne repeated twice of the location where she met with the victim. She signed Pizza Hut twice. I wondered if it is because the hearing interpreter missed it. Or the police asked the question again. Only if we could see the hearing interpreter signing on the video.

    I agree with #15– I noticed a lot of mouth movement, which indicated nervousness. Although, her body language and signing skills showed that she is a typical grassroot deaf person with perhaps high school education only.

    Does anyone know the names of all interpreters involved in this court trial?

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