PORT ANGELES — Prosecutors formally charged a Forks man Thursday with second-degree murder, with an alternative of first-degree assault, in connection with a fatal stabbing on Sunday.
The arraignment for Marcelino Godínez Pérez, 27, is set for next Thursday at 3 p.m.
Because Godínez Pérez’s primary language is a native Mayan dialect of Guatemala called Mam, two translators were used via speakerphone — one who translated English to Spanish and the other who translated Spanish to Mam.
In snippets
Judge Brooke Taylor and the attorneys spoke in small snippets, allowing both translators to convey all of the information to Godínez Pérez in the hour-and-15-minute hearing in Clallam County Superior Court.
Godínez Pérez was quiet during most of the hearing, replying only, “OK, that is fine” in Mam to indicate he understood each time something was translated.
Godínez Pérez is being held for investigation in the stabbing death of Victor Aguilar Godínez, who was described as being in his mid-20s.
The stabbing was the result of a fight outside coach No. 16 in the Rain Forest Mobile Home Park, 1205 Forks Ave. S. on Sunday.
One of Godínez Pérez’s defense attorneys, Frank Lockhart, filed two motions, one to dismiss the case based on lack of probable cause and the other a motion to have translators present in the courtroom at the Thursday hearing.
Taylor ruled that although having translators in person was preferable, the speakerphone option was fine for the hearing.
“I think the defendant’s right to face his charges within 72 hours of arrest as well has having adequate translation is preferable to having the translators present,” he said.
Both translators are expected to be present at the Thursday arraignment.
Gestures
The probable cause document included a statement: “Godínez Pérez voluntarily surrendered himself to law enforcement officers, indicating to Deputy [Bill] Cortani using body language and hand motions he was the person who stabbed Aguilar Godínez.
“As a result of Godínez Pérez’s apparent admission he had stabbed Aguilar Godínez, Deputy Cortani arrested Godínez Pérez.”
Lockhart argued that gestures, body language and motions mean different things to different cultures.
“Saying that those gestures were an admission of guilt is the same thing as saying that he looked guilty,” Lockhart said.
Taylor ruled that there was probable cause for arrest.
The probable cause statement also said that officers had interviewed several witnesses who had seen Godínez Pérez and Aguilar Godínez in a van together before the victim stumbled out and fell on the ground.
Forks Police Chief Mike Powell has said that, initially, officers were called to the mobile home park to investigate an unconscious, intoxicated man, and that man was later determined to be the deceased Aguilar Godínez.
Both Godínez Pérez and Aguilar Godínez are apparently of Guatemalan descent. They are not related.
Neither Godínez Pérez nor Aguilar Godínez’s immigration status was known.
Aguilar Godínez was stabbed at least one time in the upper left torso.
There also appeared to be a small cut on the inside of his right forearm, officers said.
Both Aguilar Godínez and Godínez Pérez harvested salal, a shrub that grows in local forests, Powell said.
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladaily
news.com.
