Curry, Ivan

Accused of killing his infant son in 1988, he was interrogated by a police detective with no knowledge of sign language or any knowledge or experience with deaf people. The police later obtained the service of an unqualified sign language interpreter, who also did not adequately communicate with the suspect. The distorted "evidence" gathered in both situations, plus a legal dispute over their admissability, meant the trial was delayed for 22 months while Curry remained in custody with denial of bail. He was finally exonerated after new evidence, deliberately kept hidden by the defense from the prosecution, showed his innocence. A 1992 TV documentary blasted the police for rigidity and incompetence in their investigation.