In just a few months, a judge will decide if a deaf killer has learned enough sign language to be able to stand trial for the murder of a teenager. For the past five years, authorities have been working to teach the killer, who is an illegal immigrant, sign language. If the judge feels he has not acquired enough language to be able to communicate with lawyers, he will likely be freed - but immediately deported afterwards. The dead girl's parents do not want him deported out of fear he may hurt others.
I'm wondering how common a problem this is, because a couple of days ago I received an email from a lawyer trying to defend an illiterate deaf criminal in a different state.
Jamie,
With due respect, I suggest you to change the title since the article did not indicate any cognitive limitations to make this person be classified as low functioning. What appears to me is that this person did not have language which may be described as a significant language deprivation. We do not know of the person’s educational background and living skills. Please consider changing the title.
Thank you
Amy Cohen Efron
In my opinion, a deaf adult with no language who can not read or write, is low functioning. According to http://www.pepnet.org/newsletter/2009_spring/page3.asp, it does not always mean that there is a mental disability in addition to deafness.
This reminded me of the book “Dummy” by Ernest Tidyman. In Chicago, a similar Deaf person was suspected in two murders but was institutionalized instead of jailed due to his need for basic language skills in order to assist in his defense.
The term “low functioning deaf” is unfortunate. A better description is “minimal language skills” although it does not describe other problems that may lead to minimal language.
Low functioning or not, assuming the man is guilty, he murdered and raped a girl. Somewhere along in his life, someone had to have taught him that this was wrong. If he doesn’t know enough American Sign Language, what about another form of communication? Does he gesture? If we were dealing with a deaf 4 year old, who doesn’t know much (if any) sign language, there would be a way to ask that child what happened. I know the man would be able to act out what happened, no matter how graphic, to show what went on that night. He could be shown pictures of the girl, the place, areas nearby, his home, etc etc etc to help him communicate what happened. Surely, in 5 years he has learned at least how to gesture, if not communicate more clearly using a form of sign language.
I have a son who is autistic, and 4. When he hits my daughter, even though he does not have much language, he will soon understand how wrong it is to hurt another human. He gets told what he did, some kind of punnishment, and he understands that something was wrong. Eventually, he will start putting it together, and understand that what he did caused me to be angry, and eventually, that it was the wrong thing to do.
On the other hand, if he does not show any way that he understands anything, perhaps it would be best to let him live in a community where he would be closely monitored, but allowed to learn and grow as a human, but be kept from hurting anyone else. If he truly does not, and did not know or understand that what he did was wrong, he should not be let free to do it again! Additionally, if he suspects that he could go free by seeming not to understand, he could easily manipulate the judge into thinking he doesn’t understand, and then go free to hurt others again.
I pray for the judge in this situation to know what to do!! Interesting case! Would love to hear how it turns out!
I do respect your opinion. I think that you need to refrain yourself from stating your opinion to the readers. As a professional in the education field, I have to refrain myself from stating my opinions to my students because I do not have the right tools to assess my students whether they are legally labelled to be low or high functioning. Being low functioning means a person cannot do things for herself or himself and she or he requires assistance for life. Only the psychologists in Deaf education have the tools to do that. I know a young deaf teenager. She was an illegal immigrant. She came to the United States and she did not know sign language. It was not clear that she knew how to read and write well. She went to school for the deaf in the United States and she learned to read and write along with learning sign language. I heard that she went to college.
This can be an interesting debate. Language and cognition are certainly related. Can we have thought without language? Can we have language without thought? People who develop language later are more likely to develop cognitive disabilities.
Well, I agree that the title should be change as Minimal Language Skill.
Secondly, the judge needs to reconsider before letting this illegal immigrant be free. Remember the story of Dummy. No one has proved this man “Dummy” is the killer, but had been release from court due to minimal language skill and crime happened to be repeated. No proof, that this man did it or not. Crime was stop since he went back to jail.
Suggestion that illegal immigrant deaf person is to return his home country as we don’t want to have another chance of repeating crime.
Only to prove of his innocent of the crime that he may not committed, then he needs to continue to have education to improve himself in America and have a good life. He can have second chaance of life.
It is tough situation to kow which side is he Good or Evil??? That is a question?!
Point is, the title is inappropriate word of Low Functioning, to Minimal Language Skill. Watch those language that Deaf are very sensitive about such word that hearing people are unaware that no intentional but consider it is insult to Deaf. We deaf are not low functioning.
Thank you.
Iam a Christian and the proud parents of 2 Deaf adults who are now grown and gone. Smile “Low Functioning” does not constitute that one one does not know right from wrong. I am in agreement with the comment that communication can and does takes place in many forms.ie – gesturing, acting, drawing,picture recognition, etc. We often use many of these communication techniques when assisting grieving children. Also we believe the Bible that states that we all inherently are born with the ability to know right from wrong. This young man’s case is no different,we must be willing to take the time to hold oneanother accountable, in our homes,community and society.
Thank you for your professional insights, comments and views. {KGP} Roselle, NJ {Friend and Supporter of the Deaf Community}