Baldwin County honors sheriff's office translator who aided murder prosecution

The Baldwin County Commission on an October meeting recognized a sheriff's office employee, identified in court records and by prosecutors as Shirley, for providing translation assistance that prosecutors said helped secure a guilty verdict in a recent murder prosecution.

District Attorney Robert Wilters introduced Major Crimes prosecutor Patrick Doggett, who described Shirley's role in the 2020 homicide investigation and later court proceedings. Doggett said Shirley translated for multiple non-English-speaking occupants at a crime scene and assisted over many hours with investigators and at subsequent court appearances.

Doggett said the availability of a fluent French Creole speaker was critical because the victims and witnesses did not speak English. He told commissioners that, with Shirley's help and work from prosecutors, the office was able to present evidence to the judge and jury; a guilty verdict was returned last month, and sentencing remained pending.

Shirley, who was identified in remarks as an employee in the sheriff's office maintenance department, spoke briefly at the podium and said, "It's just my duty." Commissioners and prosecutors thanked him for volunteering time beyond his regular duties, including traveling to arrange travel and communication for witnesses who had relocated.

Commissioners also asked whether Shirley could be added to the Administrative Office of Courts (AOC) list of qualified interpreters so his services could be used in other proceedings; prosecutors said they would explore that possibility. No formal action was taken on that request during the meeting.

The recognition underscores the county's reliance on ad hoc interpreter support in criminal investigations when certified court interpreters are unavailable.

The commission posed for photographs with Shirley after the presentation.