Interpreter for the Deaf Signs Gibberish at Tampa Serial Killer Press Conference
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TAMPA, FL — Authorities in Tampa were left baffled after a supposed interpreter for the hearing impaired signed gibberish at a press conference announcing the arrest of a suspected serial killer.
According to the Tampa Bay Times, Derlyn Roberts (above, left) was supposed to sign what Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan was saying about the arrest of Howell Emanuel Donaldson III in the four Seminole Heights shooting deaths that began in October.
However, many deaf viewers began to notice that the interpreter was not making sense.
Rachelle Settambrino, a sign language teacher at the University of South Florida, reported to the paper that when Dugan said his agency received around 5,000 tips about the four murders, Roberts signed something along the lines of “fifty-one hours ago, zero 12 22 [gibberish] murder three minutes in 14 weeks ago in old [gibberish] four five 55,000 plea 10 arrest murder bush [gibberish] three age 24.”
Tampa Police Department spokeswoman Janelle McGregor said that the department had not even requested an interpreter — and it has also emerged that Roberts has a criminal record, and has gone by more than 40 aliases. In fact, “Derlyn Roberts” is recorded as an alias, and her real name appears to be Derlyn Glover. She has a history of arrests and prison time for theft and fraud charges.
“I was disappointed, confused, upset, and really want to know why the city of Tampa’s chief of police, who is responsible for my safety and the safety of the entire community, did not check her out,” Settambrino said.
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Read more: Miami Herald, TampaBay.com, RapSheets.org
