Transcript of Bahl Interview on TV
Woman Reporter: What started as a simple traffic stop ended with a leader of the twin cities deaf community bruised and bloodied. Doug Bahl’s son shared these pictures of his father with us. He took them after St. Paul police arrested Bahl and he spent the weekend in jail. The 56-year-old looks roughed up, but officers say he’s the one who attacked them. Bahl’s case has sparked internal investigations in both St. Paul and Ramsey counties. Tonight for the first time, he shares his story with Jason DeRusha.Jason: Doug Bahl does not hear, but he is talking. An interpreter helps us understand his fear.
Doug: I continue to feel scared. To be honest, I’m scared.
Jason: Bahl’s mug shot shows the physical scares after a routine traffic stop.
Doug: At that time, I was in a lot of pain and I was bleeding. I had an eye swollen shut, I could only see out of one eye, and it was blurry at that.
Jason: These pictures flew around the Internet alleging of a police beating. It’s tough to know exactly what happened here on the night of November 17th, but a St. Paul police officer pulled over Doug Bahl for running this red light. When the officer came up to the car, there was a clear communication problem, and somehow things got out of control. In this criminal complaint, police say Bahl attacked, grabbing a cop, punching his arm, biting his thumb. Doug: There is plenty that I want to say, that I’d like to say, but… Jason: His lawyer will only say that Bahl’s version is quite different.Doug: As I look back, at the piece about being in jail, it is very painful for me, now it’s horrible as I think about it.
Jason: It’s Doug Bahl’s 4 day stay in a Ramsey county jail that has him truly upset. Arrested on a Friday, he says he had no way to tell family he was locked up, because deputies wouldn’t give him a translator or let him use a special TTY phone.
Doug: I wrote asking for a TTY and I was told “No”.
Jason: His girlfriend, Sue, thought he was dead. She got the news when another inmate finally wrote a note offering to call Bahl’s family.
Doug: I looked at the inmates, in this instance, as my heroes. I mean, they opened the door they gave me that bridge to communication.
Jason: Doug Bahl said he’s sharing his story hoping that none of what happened to him will ever happen again.
Doug: right now, I tell ya, I don’t feel safe. I don’t. And, I think it will take some time, it’s a pretty deep feeling.
Jason: The Ramsey county sheriff tells me that Bahl was offered a TTY phone on Friday night, but turned it down. He says he’s still investigating what happened on Saturday and Sunday. But, either way, according to Minnesota law, it doesn’t appear to matter. The statute requires law enforcement to provide an interpreter, and that did not happen here.
Woman Reporter: Well Jason, where does Doug Bahl’s legal case stand? He’s charged with a misdemeanor right?
Jason: He is, but Bahl actually hasn’t had his first court appearance yet. When he showed up in front of the Ramsey county judge, they had to push back the hearing until next month. Why, they didn’t have a translator.
Woman Reporter: Alright Jason, thank you. http://wcco.com/topstories/local_story_342122906.html
Sent by Christine, who transcribed this for her deaf friend. Thanks, Christine, for your generous offer to share this transcript with the Deaf Community.
Woman Reporter: What started as a simple traffic stop ended with a leader of the twin cities deaf community bruised and bloodied. Doug Bahl’s son shared these pictures of his father with us. He took them after St. Paul police arrested Bahl and he spent the weekend in jail. The 56-year-old looks roughed up, but officers say he’s the one who attacked them. Bahl’s case has sparked internal investigations in both St. Paul and Ramsey counties. Tonight for the first time, he shares his story with Jason DeRusha.Jason: Doug Bahl does not hear, but he is talking. An interpreter helps us understand his fear.
Doug: I continue to feel scared. To be honest, I’m scared.
Jason: Bahl’s mug shot shows the physical scares after a routine traffic stop.
Doug: At that time, I was in a lot of pain and I was bleeding. I had an eye swollen shut, I could only see out of one eye, and it was blurry at that.
Jason: These pictures flew around the Internet alleging of a police beating. It’s tough to know exactly what happened here on the night of November 17th, but a St. Paul police officer pulled over Doug Bahl for running this red light. When the officer came up to the car, there was a clear communication problem, and somehow things got out of control. In this criminal complaint, police say Bahl attacked, grabbing a cop, punching his arm, biting his thumb. Doug: There is plenty that I want to say, that I’d like to say, but… Jason: His lawyer will only say that Bahl’s version is quite different.Doug: As I look back, at the piece about being in jail, it is very painful for me, now it’s horrible as I think about it.
Jason: It’s Doug Bahl’s 4 day stay in a Ramsey county jail that has him truly upset. Arrested on a Friday, he says he had no way to tell family he was locked up, because deputies wouldn’t give him a translator or let him use a special TTY phone.
Doug: I wrote asking for a TTY and I was told “No”.
Jason: His girlfriend, Sue, thought he was dead. She got the news when another inmate finally wrote a note offering to call Bahl’s family.
Doug: I looked at the inmates, in this instance, as my heroes. I mean, they opened the door they gave me that bridge to communication.
Jason: Doug Bahl said he’s sharing his story hoping that none of what happened to him will ever happen again.
Doug: right now, I tell ya, I don’t feel safe. I don’t. And, I think it will take some time, it’s a pretty deep feeling.
Jason: The Ramsey county sheriff tells me that Bahl was offered a TTY phone on Friday night, but turned it down. He says he’s still investigating what happened on Saturday and Sunday. But, either way, according to Minnesota law, it doesn’t appear to matter. The statute requires law enforcement to provide an interpreter, and that did not happen here.
Woman Reporter: Well Jason, where does Doug Bahl’s legal case stand? He’s charged with a misdemeanor right?
Jason: He is, but Bahl actually hasn’t had his first court appearance yet. When he showed up in front of the Ramsey county judge, they had to push back the hearing until next month. Why, they didn’t have a translator.
Woman Reporter: Alright Jason, thank you. http://wcco.com/topstories/local_story_342122906.html
Sent by Christine, who transcribed this for her deaf friend. Thanks, Christine, for your generous offer to share this transcript with the Deaf Community.
December 20th, 2006 at 11:52 am
I have been a asl student for two years and now i am a aid in Deb Kasper’s class to help her out I heard about what happened to Doug and was suprised at what happened that is a horriable thing. I am now working on writing a article on what happend for our school news paper in faribualt high school I am hopeing to be able to talk to doug also about it to get some qoutes