Death Penalty Sought For Daphne Wright
The Minnehaha County State’s Attorney is seeking the death penalty against a deaf Sioux Falls woman. Daphne Wright is charged with the first degree murder of Darlene VanderGiesen.
Wednesday State’s Attorney Dave Nelson filed papers indicating prosecutors will ask for the death penalty if Wright is found guilty. The trial begins January second.
VanderGiesen was kidnapped, killed and dismembered in February. Her remains were found weeks later in a Sioux Falls landfill and in a ditch in southwest Minnesota. Police tied her death to Wright through an e-mail and court papers show Wright later told police she thought VanderGiesen was trying to break up a relationship with her girlfriend.
© 2006 KELOLAND TV. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.keloland.com/NewsDetail6162.cfm?Id=25,52471
Commentary: This had been a grisly murder that left many experienced law officials sickened and horrified. In a small city, with extensive media coverage, it may be difficult for an accused murderer to get a fair trail. However, with Daphne Wright, obtaining a fair trail may be doubly hard due to her profound deafness. Will enough qualified legal interpreters well versed in ASL be provided during her trail?
Yes, the victim was also profoundly Deaf and was not only well known, but also well-liked in Sioux Falls Deaf Community. Ms. Daphne Wright had relocated to S.F. from Maryland and wasn’t apparently acquaintaned with the local Deaf folks there. She was reportedly a difficult person with an anger management issue, according to few who knew her.
Update: I’ve added another news article recently, two posts away from this one. That article has more details, though I must warn you, it is graphic. 
email contact: mishkazena@aol.com
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Was the victim also deaf? Anybody know? Is her lawyer a paid lawyer or a court appointed lawyer? Does Daphne Wright use ASL? The article doesn’t say.
The court will, hopefully, bring in certified legal interpreters for this case.
I found the answer to my questions in another article.
The very first thing that needs to happen is someone needs to make sure her lawyer uses an interpreter to communicate with her. This is a capital case. A woman’s life is on the line.
Then, if I were her lawyer, the first thing I would do would have someone administer a reading test to her. She may not read well enough to understand the little card with our Miranda rights written on it. She also may not read well enough to understand “projection screens that display the court reporter’s transcription of the proceedings.”
The next thing I would do would be to file a motion to make sure there was a camera on the interpreter and on Daphne at all times. That way someone could make sure the interpreter was interpreting accurately. There was a case here several years ago, that I pulled the transcript, where there’s several places where the interpreter asks the judge to slow down (he couldn’t keep up), says the deaf person didn’t understand and that he was going to try and explain it to him, and where it looks like he might have misinterpreted what the deaf person was saying. If he was misinterpreting what the deaf person was saying, God himself only knows what went back the other way.
The lawyer in that case also never used an interpreter in his communications with the client.
If DA is asking for death penalty, obvious the charge against her is for pre-mediated murder. Daphne’s lawyer may challenge it is not a premediated murder in order to spare her life. If she has a history of angry outbursts, more likely pre-mediated does not count (if proven). She woul spend her life in max prison.
Sharon, let’s hope the local deaf community makes sure that the court be totally accessible for the defendant.
M, I certainly hope Daphne’s lawyer uses a certified interpreter! A camera is a must! Maybe you could contact her lawyer as you have good suggestions.
How horrible about that deaf plaintiff you described. It sounds like a good reason to file for an appeal. What a travesty. I suspect this happens too often
LRC, perhaps the DA has evidence the murder was pre-mediated. Her lawyer tried to have her interview with the police suppressed, but the judged denied his request.
Mishka,
Even if DA has the evidence but it has to take 12 jurors to agree that it is a premediated murder (pmm) in order for death penalty to be given to Daphne. I bet you at least one of 12 jurors may view Daphne as HC person and would not favor pmm. Daphne’s lawyer would be smart to pick some of jurors who are religious or have affliated with someone who is a disabled person, etc.
We will wait and see.
Interesting article about Daphne Wright. http://www.keloland.com/News/NewsDetail6371.cfm?Id=0,52492
Not even “deaf”, “hearing loss”, “hearing impaired” etc mentioned in that article. The DA or author KNOW if people find out the woman’s deaf and the people will have a different reaction by having 2nd thought about death penalty and favoring life in prison.
My condolences to the victim’s family.
The Death Penality? In this case I feel that is rather drastic, no?
It is bad enough that her victim was killed. Why add another to the list of the deceased? Not knowing much about this woman I would think there would be circumstances beyond her control. For example, is she prone to angry outbursts and reacts to it without realizing the consequences? Did she really planned to kill her victim in advance? Was it more like “spur of the moment” situation? Does she have a history of mental instability? Has she ever spent time in a institution to deal with her mental problems? Was she taking any medication for mental problems or anger control? Etc.
I hope and pray she gets the best legal defense. Also I do hope and definately pray that the jury will not allow any intimidation of any anykind to influence them in any negative way. I do hope they will be honest in their conclusion of her innocence or guilt.
I also wonder what is the reason for the DA to bring up the issue if she is found guilty, he will move towards the “death penalty.” Is he politically motivated? Meaning, is he up for re-election next year?
If the honest jury finds her guilty, I do hope she gets life in jail instead of the death penalty.
I want to know will Daphne Wright’s trail for death penalty
today January 2 2007. will they appear on the TV news, if so what channel will it be on like headline news or regular news and time.
Rollando, in response to your question as to whether the DA is up for re-election next year and whether his plea for the death penalty is politically motivated, the answer to the latter is obvious: yes. While I’m not sure whether or not the DA is up for re-election, it’s obvious he’s pandering to his constituency, whom have been noted for wanting the defendant out of their community simply because she was black. Add to that she’s deaf, and you have ignorant people spewing hate all over the place.
I, too, hope she doesn’t get the death penalty. These hateful people, whoever they are, don’t deserve to have their death, whatever the circumstances. The justice system in this case has severely abused the Constitution (they denied the woman an attorney, for no apparent reason, several times!), and, by extention, the American people.
Death Penatly has is focusing on Daphne’s ability to murder someone. It has nothing to do with her race, deafness, and insanity. She knew exactly what she was doing by planning on killing Darlene. Who cares if she will be the first deaf woman in death penatly? She committed murder, period. Darlene’s parents lost their precious daughter that was well-liked in SD. They will never have their daughter back. Daphne has to face her conquences. It is my strong opinion and I respect everyone else opinion if its on my side or not.
I heard of Daphne Wright alots.Lots of my friend told me about her that they know Daphne very well.I shocked.Daphne murder to Darlene.It’s saddly myself.Daphne is not friendly.Daphne was different 2 personal.I know darlene’s parent feel angry at daphne.her parent lost precious daughter.I cant blame on them.I pray for darlene’s parent.maybe daphne plm mental brain.Daphne need pray to GOD forgive to her sin then she must talk to darlene’s parent what she did to her daughter murder.And Daphne need says “I am so sorry” and “Forgive me” for what she did it. Also Big “IF” Daphne is still think bother herself of darlene murder then she have to down floor pray talk to darlene in the heaven.Darlene will forgive her pretty good.Daphne need go to church in the jail and study the bible what she made mistake killer.Need an interprter she will more understand the bible.She is learn lesson Stay in prison for life or death penalty.GOD will take care of daphne.God can read her brain, we cant read her brain.She will punish herself. she need GOD’S help. Amen!!I am full lesbian and christian of church.I know i have only one child with me.If someone killer to my daughter. i will hot temper.I know it’s hard accept.