KINGMAN – Involved attorneys and the Court agree that another interpreter must be found to communicate with the man being prosecuted for assaulting co-workers with hot cooking oil at the Sakura Sushi & Grill in Kingman. Public Defender Paul Amann asserts that his client, Kien Yun Wong, 70, does not understand and is confused by legal proceedings.
Amann, during a Jan. 6 status hearing in Mohave County Superior Court, said the interpreter translating English to Mandarin is ineffective because Wong instead speaks “Fukienese”, a dialect from his hometown of Fuzhou in China.
“This has been a very frustrating experience, not only for the defendant, but for anyone who has tried to communicate with him,” Amann told Judge Rick Lambert.
Amann and prosecutor Rod Albright said the language barrier also posed problems for two psychiatrists trying to conduct separate mental health analysis of the defendant who allegedly slit his throat following the restaurant violence last April. The attorneys believe another interpreter is needed for communication for legal proceedings and the effort to determine if Wong is competent to stand trial.
Amann insists that the experts have essentially determined he is not competent to stand trial, partly due to the communication issue as well as cultural differences. Albright, however, believes Wong is competent, provided the language barrier is resolved.
Judge Lambert continued the status hearing to Jan. 21, expressing hope that an interpreter fluent in “Fukienese” can be secured to shore up communications.
Wong is charged with two counts of attempted first degree murder and four counts of aggravated assault. Police said both of Wong’s victims suffered burn injuries from hot cooking oil and one of the men was also treated for a laceration over the top of his head.
Motivation for the attack has been murky, though an officer engaged in an initial interpreter assisted interview reported that Wong indicated he wanted to kill both co-workers and himself.
Dave Hawkins
