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Case against man caught with 'weed' dismissed

Just say no to marijuana
ausage@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The case against Nelson Dorson who was charged with unlawful possession of illegal drugs last year was dismissed by the High Court last week, after Chief Justice Michael Kruse granted the government’s motion to dismiss the case.

Dorson was represented by Assistant Public Defender Rob McNeill while prosecuting was Assistant Attorney General Doug Lowe.

When the case was called, Lowe said the government moved to dismiss the case against Darson, because they are unable to prove their case.

Kruse immediately granted the motion with prejudice.

He told Dorson that whatever the situation is with his medical condition, bringing marijuana is a “no no on this island”.

The government charged Dorson with one count of unlawful possession of a controlled substance (marijuana), a felony punishable by not less than 5 or more than 10 years, a fine of not less than $5,000 or more than $20,000

The charge stemmed an incident whereby Dorson arrived in the territory on a Hawaiian Air flight last year, and Customs agents discovered a small quantity of weed in his luggage, which he said he uses to cure his medical condition.

VISE GAUTA

Disposition for Vise Gauta is scheduled for June 21, 2019, after he admitted that he violated conditions of his probation.

Gauta appeared in High Court last week for a preliminary hearing on the allegation that he failed to comply with the condition requiring him to be law abiding, which was handed down by the court after he was convicted for unlawful discharge of a firearm 2 years ago.

Guata, who is still in custody, was represented by Assistant Public Defender Rob McNeill, while prosecuting was Assistant Attorney General Christy Dunn.

According to McNeill, his client was convicted in January last year of discharging  a firearm, and was placed on probation for 2 years subject to certain conditions, one of which required him to be law abiding.

A few months after he was sentenced, Gauta assaulted a man and as a result, he was convicted in District Court of third-degree assault.

Dunn told the court that Gauta was convicted in District Court for third-degree assault for attempting to strike another person with a rebar, and he pled “no contest” to careless driving in another case.

He was sentenced to 120 days at the TCF. Gauta is still in custody, waiting for his disposition hearing next month.