Court Report

OWNERS SENTENCED FOR VICIOUS ANIMALS' ATTACKS
 
Associate Justice Lyle L Richmond noted that dog bite incidents are an island wide problem and commended the government for “finally” doing something about it, when handing down sentencing for two defendants in separate dog bite cases. They were sentenced last week Friday, following guilty pleas as they entered plea agreements with the government.
 
Ioane Passi and Leneuoti Tuaua were initially charged with possession of a vicious animal, a felony.
 
Passi pleaded guilty to the amended charge of possession of a vicious animal, a misdemeanor. During sentencing he apologized for what occurred to the young boy. Assistant Public Defender Leslie Cardin informed the court that Passi and the boy’s family have reconciled following the incident. Richmond suspended the sentence and placed Passi on probation for a period of six months. He was also fined $100.
 
According to the government’s case, on Sept. 6, 2012 it was reported by a nurse at the LBJ hospital that a young boy was receiving medical treatment following an alleged dog bite in Vatia. The 10-year-old boy told police he was walking with his aunt when he was attacked by two dogs and bitten on the leg, sustaining a five-centimeter laceration to his right leg, requiring five stitches to cover the wound. Court filings stated that on Sept. 22, 2012, the police along with an employee of the Department of Agriculture seized the alleged vicious dog involved in the incident.
 
Tuaua, as part of his plea agreement, pleaded guilty to the amended charge of possession of a vicious animal, a misdemeanor. During sentencing he apologized for what occurred. Imposition of sentencing was suspended and Tuaua was placed on probation for a period of six months. He was also fined $100 and ordered to pay restitution for medical bills of the victim.
 
The victim told police that she was walking from her house to work when she was attacked by dogs and a man came out of nowhere and chased the dogs away. The victim sustained a laceration about three centimeters wide and six centimeters deep, and two stitches were required to close the wound. Court filings stated that on Nov. 27, 2012 police, along with an employee of the Agriculture office, seized two of the dogs that attacked the victim.
 
THE CASE OF JEALOUS BOYFRIEND GOES TO HIGH COURT
 
A man accused of assaulting his girlfriend on several occasions will be arraigned in the High Court today. Poiti Tuamoheloa is facing felony assault of third degree assault (domestic violence) a class D felony.
 
Tuamoheloa, who’s being held on bail of $10,000 last week waived his rights to a preliminary examination (PX) before District Court Judge John Ward.
 
According to the government’s case, the girlfriend alleges she was assaulted outside her work place in Futiga, where she was threatened by the defendant that he would kill her if she reported this incident to the police.
 
The girlfriend told police the defendant was a controlling and jealous person, who sometimes forbade her from going to work or from leaving their house until he returned from work. It’s alleged the defendant went as far as trying to take the girlfriend’s car keys and important documents to prevent her from going anywhere. 
 
The girlfriend alleges that one time, when the defendant was upset that she was talking to another man, he beat her in the car and abused her verbally. She said that he prevented her from leaving and she was trapped in the vehicle.