People v. Atsilis

The defendant pled nolo contendere to the charge of attempted larceny in a building. MCLA 750.92; MSA 28.287. He was sentenced to a term of one to two years in prison. Defendant’s only claim, on appeal, is that he was deprived of his right to due process of law by the trial judge’s failure to appoint an interpreter in defendant’s behalf.

Defendant is a Puerto Rican and claims to have little knowledge of the English language. Consequently, he contends that he did not fully understand the nature of the proceedings against him. The question of whether an interpreter is needed for the defendant is…