The Iowa Court of Appeals has upheld the robbery conviction of a western Iowa man who complains he wasn’t getting an accurate translation of court proceedings from an interpreter. Edgar Cardona was found guilty of first-degree robbery in Pottawattamie County District Court.
A native Spanish speaker, Cardona argued his trial attorney failed to ensure he received accurate translations from a qualified interpreter. Cardona says he told the interpreter about his concerns during the trial, but the interpreter told him everything was right.
Cardona’s attorney says his client never complained he was having problems understanding their conversations or what was going on in the courtroom. The Iowa Court of Appeals has rejected Cardona’s complaints and upheld Cardona’s robbery conviction.