http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2015/03/oregon_man_commits_no_crime_bu.html tl:dr dude gets locked up for 900 days because he wont testify in a murder case despite the main suspect having confessed.
I live Washington County. Admittedly I just skimmed the article. It's weird because the Judge, Don Letourneau is known as "Let 'em go Letourneau because he tends to be very lax in his judgements against alleged criminals and is known to lecture prosecutors.
Your post is intentionally misleading. As the article mentions he didn't follow the proceedings either because he didn't understand or he didn't care to. If he didn't care to cooperate in this instance he is an idiot. If the police screwed him over this deserves to be a story.
I got threatened with a $120 fine if I didn't show up to court as the state's witness when some guy challenged a failure to yield ticket after he totaled my car. I'd get punished for missing jury duty as well. What's not to believe? I understand 900 days is a little harsh though.
Doesn't sound to me like Oregon is too concerned with getting a real translator up there for that guy.
