Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — An evaluation report from the LBJ Behavioral Health Center to the court notes that repeat offender Rintel Iatala is stable and he is recommended for release. This was revealed during a status hearing last Thursday, April 18th in District Court.

Iatala was remanded to the LBJ Behavioral Health Center for evaluation following his initial appearance on the charge of criminal contempt, earlier this month.

According to the government's case, police were contacted after Iatala became unruly and was "acting violently", yelling profanities at home. When police arrived, Iatala was gone but cops later found him behind an abandoned building in Amouli. Iatala allegedly told police he "drank all day."

When he was being questioned, Iatala "continuously moved around on his seat" and was "talking to himself," according to police.

Iatala is currently on probation for a prior matter and a condition of probation requires him to be alcohol and drug free. In court last week, Judge Elvis P. Patea noted that there is a pending Order to Show Cause for Iatala, for failing to be law abiding and sober.

The new case is referenced in the OSC. Judge Patea said that while duplicative, Iatala's behavior indicates non-compliance and the court requires assurance. Therefore, bail is set at $300 for both matters (aggregate).

Iatala was released from the LBJ and remanded to custody at TCF. His next court date (pretrial conference for new case and status hearing for the OSC) is May 9th.

Earlier this year in February, Iatala was charged with one count each of illegal possession of marijuana and illegal possession of methamphetamine, both felonies. Bail was set at $10,000

That case has since been bound over to High Court.

Iatala was also charged in two other cases filed last year.

KENETI FILISI

A status hearing for an overstayer accused of assaulting another man for not moving his bus is set for May 3rd.

According to Immigration, Keneti Filisi's ID expired Feb. 27, 2014

When his case was called last Thursday, the court was told that Filisi's wife was working on getting his ticket back to Samoa.

Judge Elvis P. Patea has advised the attorneys to work with the local Samoa Consulate office, to get things moving. During court proceedings, it could not be confirmed who was in possession of Filisi's passport.

Filisi has been in custody on a 'no bail' status, due to his immigration status.

He was arrested and charged with public peace disturbance and third degree assault for an incident that occurred March 23rd in Malaeloa, where he is alleged to have assaulted a man who refused to move his bus.

Filisi allegedly told police that he "upper cut" the victim, and although he was holding a machete, he didn't use it but he did threaten to beat up the victim "someday."