Deaf Federal Worker Arrested On Drug Charges

Deaf News: Federal government employee arrested on multiple drug charges.



LEONARDTOWN, MD - St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, Vice/Narcotics detectives conducted an investigation into a possible marijuana cultivation operation in the California area in the state of Maryland.



A search and seizure warrant was issued for the residence of Eric Douglas Jindra, 29 of Maryland and subsequently executed.



Detectives seized all items related to the grow operation, 11 marijuana plants in various states of cultivation (Valued at more than $11,000), 14 plants in the infancy stages of growth, 97 grams of product, a digital scale, two semi-automatic handguns, a AK 47 assault rifle and numerous rounds of ammunition.



Deaf suspect Jindra was arrested and charged and additional charges are pending a review with State’s Attorney Richard D. Fritz.



Detectives are currently working with investigators at Patuxent River Naval Air Station due to the Suspect’s employee status related to the Federal Government.



Source



Deaf community responses has reacted to Jindra's arrested on DVTV#Comments

Courtroom Sign Language Prohibited Raise Concerns

EXCLUSIVE Maryland courtroom sign language restrictions raise concerns. Only the official interpreters and trial participants are allowed to use ASL and gesture.



JESSUP, MD - A judge in the trial of a Deaf man is prohibiting signing among the audience, a move that has raised concerns among some in the Deaf community.



Clarence Taylor III, who is Deaf, is accused of inappropriately touching Maryland School for the Deaf students when he was a student life counselor and dormitory aide at the school's Columbia campus. MSD also has a campus in Frederick.



Judge William Tucker of Howard County Circuit Court prohibited signs and "facial gestures" among spectators at Taylor's trial, according to a report from Capital News Service.



Only the four official courtroom interpreters and trial participants communicating with them will be allowed to sign and gesture in the courtroom.



Some advocates for the Deaf took issue with the way the decision singled out American Sign Language.



Howard A. Rosenblum, CEO of the National Association of the Deaf, said in a statement that the NAD understands the need to preserve order in the courtroom, but any restriction on communication needs to be applied evenly in any language to all spectators.



"The judge's order in this case appears to impose restrictions solely on Deaf and Hard of Hearing spectators and is unacceptable," he said.



David Martin, an assistant professor who manages ASL studies at Frederick Community College, is an MSD alumnus and has been following the trial.



He said that it would be difficult for a deaf person to avoid making gestures.



“From my perspective, you know, with a Deaf person, It's going to be a challenge for a Deaf person to have no expressions and no signing,” Martin said through an ASL interpreter.



Still, Martin said the judge's decision was fair as long as hearing people were subject to the same restrictions. ... Read more: http://www.fredericknewspost.com/news/crime_and_justice/courts/article_fbb73837-446e-5ce5-965f-c375c6542ef5.html



Related post:

Aide At Maryland School For The Deaf Charged With Sexual Abuse

Maryland School For The Deaf Abuse Case

Courtroom Sign Language Prohibited Raise Concerns

Verdict in Deaf School Sex Abuse Case

Deaf Advocates Sues U of M Over Stadium Design

VIDEO: National Association of the Deaf sues University of Maryland for failing to provide closed captioning at sports games.



WASHINGTON - Aberdeen Patch: A lawsuit filed in September by the National Association of the Deaf against the University of Maryland for its lack of amenities for Deaf fans at sporting events is just one of many such efforts to ensure hearing-impaired sports enthusiasts can enjoy themselves at stadiums.



Association CEO Howard A. Rosenblum said his organization has successfully sued other athletic organizations over the same issue, including the Washington Redskins, Ohio State University and the University of Kentucky.



The association successfully sued the Washington Redskins in 2011. According to lawsuit documents, the Redskins were required to “provide Deaf and Hard of Hearing fans equal access to the aural information broadcast over the stadium bowl public address system at FedEx Field.”

The University of Maryland lawsuit details complaints brought to the association by Sean Markel and Joseph Innes, two Deaf sports patrons who regularly attend Terrapin sporting events at Comcast Center and Byrd Stadium. Markel and Innes filed another complaint against the university on Oct. 16.



“This is an action to enforce the rights of individuals who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing and to ensure full and equal access to the defendant University of Maryland, College Park’s football and basketball games and other programs, services and activities taking place at defendants’ venues and on the University of Maryland athletic department website,” reads the official complaint filed by the association on behalf of Markel and Innes.



Maryland Assistant Vice President of Marketing and Communications Brian Ullman released a statement in response to the first complaint saying the university is committed to making sure Terrapin fans with disabilities can enjoy the school’s sporting events. He said the team already offers closed captioning through a special website that can be displayed on smart phones and tablets. ... Read more: http://aberdeen.patch.com/groups/sports/p/deaf-advocates-suing-university-of-maryland-have-had-success-with-other-institutions_56a6b094

Annapolis Man Rides 10K Miles, Raises $150K For The Deaf

VIDEO: Annapolis man rides 10K miles, raises $150K for the Deaf.



ANNAPOLIS, Md. - ABC News - Jacob Landis is home and healing after a nearly 10,000-bike ride that raised more than $150,000 in donations toward cochlear implants.



Landis was 180 miles shy of his goal after a passing truck clipped his shoulder. Landis was thrown from his bike and suffered a severe concussion, broken nose two small cheek bone fractures and a chipped tooth. He literally poured sweat and blood into his mission of raising awareness for the Deaf community. He’s home now with a sprain wrist and bruised shoulder.



His efforts will yield cochlear implants for 15 people.

Eileen Jones, founder of the Gift of Hearing Foundation, said Landis’ ride “far exceeds what we’ve been able to do in nine years.”



Landis was welcomed home yesterday by former co-workers, family and friends at an event in Annapolis. ... Read more http://www.abc2news.com/dpp/news/region/anne_arundel_county_/annapolis-man-rides-10k-miles-raises-150k-for-the-deaf



For those interested in finding out more about Landis's mission, go to www.JacobsRide.com

Gallaudet: Alleged Assault High School Students

Gallaudet University: Police probe sex assault involving 2 Gallaudet high school students during school trip.



ANNAPOLIS, Maryland. - Anne Arundel County police are investigating an alleged assault involving two students from Gallaudet University’s secondary school during a school trip to Annapolis.



Police spokesman Justin Mulcahy said Tuesday that police are conducting a criminal investigation into the alleged incident on a bus in the county on Saturday morning. He says police were notified Sunday night.



University spokeswoman Kaitlin Luna says the students are enrolled in the school’s Model Secondary School for the Deaf, a program for high school age students at the university’s Washington, D.C., campus. She says the incident occurred during a chaperoned, school-sponsored trip, but referred questions about the incident to police. Read more: http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2013/08/27/2-gallaudet-hs-students-report-sex-assault-during-school-trip/