Van der Sloot Case Has "Ground to a Halt," Say Reports

NEW YORK (CBS/WIAT) The legal process against Joran van der Sloot has "ground to a halt," and not because of the impending ruling on his appeal, according to  reports.

PICTURES: Van der Sloot Hotel Room Crime Scene

The Dutch news website Dutchnews.nl reports that Maximo Altez, van der Sloot's attorney, told Peruvian TV station Panamericana Television that case is stagnating because no official interpreter can be found.

The Peruvian station showed a letter from the Peruvian association of translators and interpreters which said it has no one who can translate from Spanish into Dutch.

It also showed a letter from the Dutch embassy in which it says it has no official interpreter available, according to the Dutch website. The Dutch Embassy says it provides a list of lawyers and interpreters to national abroad facing criminal charges but does not provide the interpreters themselves, according to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf.

CBS Affiliate WIAT Contributed to This Report.

Complete Coverage of Joran van der Sloot on Crimesider.