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Court Report

PURSUED BY POLICE, JUVENILE JUMPS INTO OCEAN

A 16 year old female juvenile was arrested after police suspected the girl was intoxicated and underage.

Police officers stopped where the girl was in Fagatogo, but she took off on foot and jumped into the ocean at the Marina Dock (Malaloa side).

The juvenile, who is a high school student, is charged with underage drinking, public peace disturbance and resisting arrest.

According to the government’s case the police officers at the scene asked for assistance from Marine Patrol police officers, who responded and pulled the girl out of the water.

According to Assistant Attorney General Terrie Bullinger, this specific female juvenile is on probation for fighting and now she’s in court for underage drinking.

Bullinger explained that this young girl could have been in a worse situation if the police were not around to save her, because the incident occurred when she was under the influence of alcohol.

The girl was taken back to the juvenile detention center to await her next hearing.

SIAMAU’S LAWYER TO ATTEND DEATH PENALTY RECERTIFICATION SEMINAR

Siaumau Siaumau Jr’s lawyer Assistant Public Defender Michael White will be traveling off island to attend a required death penalty re-certification seminar, to be held in Wyoming.

Siaumau is charged with the murder of police Lt. Liusila Brown and the attempted murder of another police officer almost two years ago.

Assistant Public Defender White is working together with Assistant Public Defender Leslie Cardin, who has also undertaken training to be certified counsel to handle death penalty cases.

Assistant Attorney General Kelly Dixon told the court that the government does not object to the expedited motion, however if it involves personal agendas on this trip then the government would strongly object. Assistant Public Defender White immediately said “this is not a pleasure trip. Wyoming is too far from Georgia.” (Asst. PD White is from Georgia.)

Richmond granted White’s expedited motion for the government to pay the tuition, airfare, per diem and ground transportation.

Richmond said during the last hearing, when Cardin requested to attend the recertification training, that this training is necessary so that defense lawyers can be currently qualified to serve as counsel on a death penalty case.

Attorneys have to be certified and qualified to handle death penalty cases. The law requires intense training and a death penalty attorney must have extensive trial experience and must remain certified, which means mandatory annual training of continuing legal education.

A minimum of two certified, qualified lawyers must be assigned to any death penalty case, per the American Bar Association guidelines.