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Court Report

SIAUMAU SIAUMAU JR IN COURT FOR STATUS HEARING

 

Associate Justice Lyle L Richmond informed the parties in the case of Siaumau Siaumau Jr that by October 18, 2013, if there are no further motions filed in this matter, the court will have to schedule this case for a Jury Trial. Siaumau was in court for a status hearing in the case where he is accused in the July 22, 2010 shooting death of Police Detective Lt. Liusila Brown and the attempted murder of another police officer.

 

The defendant is charged with murder in the first degree, two counts of attempted murder in the first degree on distinct victims, three counts of assault in the first degree against distinct victims, three counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, two faculty distinct counts of unlawful possession of an unlicensed firearm and public peace disturbance.

 

Richmond noted that this matter has been sitting for over two years and it needs to be moved. The Associate Justice stated he put this matter on the court calendar at the same time Deputy Attorney General Mitzie Jessop filed her motion for a status hearing.

 

Assistant Public Defender Mike White informed the court that an additional 30 days is needed to continue negotiations with the government for a resolution.

 

Jessop noted that by October 28, 2013 it will have been three years since this case was filed and the government is “eager to move forward.” She also pointed out there are several motions which have been filed by the government that the court has yet to rule on. However, Richmond responded, that’s because the court has yet to hear the arguments on these motions.

 

Richmond rescheduled another status hearing on this case for October 15, 2013.

 

INMATES ACCUSED OF BREAKING INTO BOH/KFC/PIZZA HUT ENTER GUILTY PLEA

 

Sentencing for two inmates who broke out of jail and burglarized Bank of Hawai’i, KFC and Pizza Hut has been scheduled for October 13, 2013, after they entered guilty pleas before the court. The inmates Joe Leota and Ryan Pite were in jail serving time for prior criminal convictions when this incident occurred. They had initially been charged with two counts of first degree burglary, stealing, escape from confinement and property damage, first degree— which are all felonies.

 

According to the plea agreement that was read in open court, Pite and Leota each entered a guilty plea to burglary in the first degree. The plea states that the defendants knowingly and unlawfully entered the Bank of Hawaii Tafuna branch with the purpose of committing a crime at night, and this violation is a class B felony which is punishable from five to 15 years in jail.

 

Both inmates also pled guilty to another count of first degree burglary for unlawfully entering KFC and Pizza Hut with the purpose of committing a crime at night which is also a class B felony. According to the plea deal, in return for the defendant’s guilty plea the government would move to dismiss the remaining charges.

 

The plea deal goes on to say, the defendants admit that on July 6, 2012 they broke into the bank in an attempt to steal money; they also broke into KFC and Pizza Hut with the same intentions.

 

Acting Associate Justice Elvis Patea accepted the plea agreement in this matter.

 

PLEA NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUE IN SEX CASE AGAINST BROTHERS

 

The parties in the sexually related case filed against two brothers from Leone are continuing negotiations for a resolution according to their attorneys, when the brothers appeared in court for their pre-trial conference yesterday morning.

 

The brothers are each charged with child molesting, deviate sexual assault, sexual abuse first degree, endangering the welfare of a child and furnishing pornographic materials to a minor. Samoa News is withholding the names of the defendants to protect the identity of the young victim in this case.

 

Assistant Public Defender Mike White told the court they are close to a resolution in this case and sought for additional time while Deputy AG Mitzie Jessop confirmed the on-going plea negotiations. Associate Justice Lyle L Richmond granted the request for continuance and rescheduled this matter on October 18, 2013.

 

According to the government’s case, on Dec. 29, 2012 it was reported to the Leone Substation that a six-year-old boy had allegedly been drugged and sexually abused by two brothers. According to the government’s case, the mother said her son has some developmental disabilities.