Song v. Sexton

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT MIDDLE DISTRICT OF TENNESSEE NASHVILLE DIVISION YOUNG BOK SONG ) ) Petitioner, ) ) v. ) NO. 3:11-cv-1082 ) JOHNNY FITZ ) ) Respondent. ) MEMORANDUM OPINION Young Song, whose first language is Korean, was convicted in state court of rape and sexual battery of the underage daughters of his on-again-off-again girlfriend. Before trial he requested and was denied the services of a court-appointed interpreter. After the Court denied Song’s request, his trial counsel did not retain an interpreter. Song proceeded to testify at trial in (broken) English. His testimony did…