Joseph Ferrell v. W. J. Estelle, Jr., Director, Texas Department of Corrections

CHARLES CLARK, Circuit Judge:

Ferrell became deaf between the time of the murder with which he was charged and the time of his trial. In the brief period from the onset of his deafness to his trial he did not learn to read lips or to understand sign language. He could communicate only through written notes. Thus he could understand the proceedings at his trial only if someone wrote an explanation. His counsel asked the court to provide stenographers who could simultaneously transcribe the words spoken during the trial. The judge denied that motion, but he told the attorney that unlimited…