Pubdate: Thu, 09 May 2002 Source: Denver Rocky Mountain News (CO) Copyright: 2002, Denver Publishing Co. Contact: http://www.rockymountainnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/371 Author: Associated Press APPEALS COURT: JURORS MUST UNDERSTAND ENGLISH The state Court of Appeals threw out a drug conviction on Thursday because a juror did not understand English. Andrew Lee Orozco was appealing verdicts finding him guilty of unlawful possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of less than one ounce of marijuana. The appeals court said the trial court erred by denying his challenge for cause to a prospective juror who did not understand the English language. "The failure of a prospective juror to meet a qualification for jury service operates as a basis for a challenge for cause rather than as an absolute prohibition to service," the appeals court ruled. A Korean woman on the jury told the judge she had a difficult time understanding English. The judge offered to provide written instructions, rejecting a request from defense attorneys to have her removed. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth