(Madison, Wisconsin)– A new trial has been ordered for a northwest Iowa man convicted of sexual assault in Wisconsin.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court made the order, saying one of the jurors who found 32-year-old Michael Carlson of Spirit Lake guilty wasn’t fluent in English.
Carlson appealed after he was sentenced to 14 years in prison on a sexual assault charge.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court says evidence presented at a post conviction hearing showed the juror, Tony Vera, couldn’t understand English.
Vera, a laotion immigrant, has been in the U-S 20 years. He indicated in a jury questionnaire that he didn’t fully understand English, but his name was entered for random selection anyway.
A judge ruled Vera had “sufficient understanding” of English to serve as a juror.
(Story from the Associated Press)
