AUTESAMOA HARI SENTENCED

A Vailoatai woman, who threatened a police officer after he had responded to a call for police assistance, has been ordered to apologize to the officer involved, and was placed on probation.

Autesamoa Hari spent seven months in pre trial confinement before she was released last month and the High Court believed that this was sufficient time in jail for the defendant, who was initially charged with felony assault second degree and misdemeanor public peace disturbance.

Under a plea agreement with the government last month, the defendant pled guilty to third degree assault which was amended from the felony assault, while the PPD count was dismissed.

The defendant admitted that on Oct. 30, 2013 police responded to a call in Vailoatai, where they found defendant with a machete in her possession, which she attempted to use to cause harm to a police officer. Court filings say “she threatened to kill anybody who got in her way.” The machete was finally removed from her by her sister.

During sentencing last Friday, the defendant apologized to the court for her crime saying that she is remorseful for her action, and the time served in jail was a learning lesson for her. She promised that she never wanted to return to such a place anymore. She asked for leniency, asking the court not to put her back in jail.

Third degree assault is punishable by 12 months imprisonment, a fine of $1,000 or both.

Chief Justice Michael Kruse sentenced the defendant to one-year probation under the condition that she pays a $1,000 fine, and does not threaten any member of the community, including police officers. She was also told to apologize to the officer, who she threatened last year, and must attend and complete anger management classes.

TIMOTHY NOA SENTENCED

A man who was facing several charges, including the assault of his wife, has been sentenced to serve 28 months in prison, which is one of the conditions of his seven-year probation.

Timothy Noa was also barred from contacting his wife and her family and was ordered to be a law abiding citizen upon release from jail after serving this jail term.

The defendant was initially faced with several counts but under a plea agreement with prosecutors, the defendant pled guilty to four felony counts — burglary second degree, false imprisonment, resisting arrest and domestic assault in the third degree.

The case and charges against Noa surfaced in December 2012 when police received a call from a women saying that she had been assaulted by the defendant from morning until night. She told police that Noa had threatened to kill her if he was arrested. The victim asked police officers to take her to the hospital, because the defendant had struck her several times in the face, according to court documents.

DOMESTIC ASSAULT INVESTIGATED

A man taken into custody over the weekend has been charged with private peace disturbance in his family while police continue their investigation into allegations that he assaulted his wife.

The incident occurred in Iliili where the wife sought refuge at a neighbor’s home after  allegedly being assaulted by the defendant. The victim told police that the defendant had verbally threatened her and her children, according to court information, but there were no specific details as to what was said by the defendant.

The defendant is currently held at the Territorial Correctional Facility to await his next court appearance later this week. Court information states that police continue their investigation into this case.