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Domestic violence case involving a 41-year-old man goes to court

American Samoa District Court building
ausage@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Last month, a 41-year-old man made his initial appearance in District Court on two misdemeanor counts of third-degree assault and private peace disturbance after he allegedly assaulted his wife.

The defendant is a Samoa national who works as a bus driver to support his wife and 6 young children.

Court information states that the defendant had consumed alcohol at the time he is alleged to have assaulted his wife in front of his children, and that the incident occurred after the husband arrived home that day and noticed some family issues that were not taken care of by his wife.

Thereafter, says the court affidavit, the defendant allegedly started yelling at his wife and this escalated to a heated argument between the couple.

The husband then allegedly hit his wife in the face, pulled her hair, and pushed her down on the floor. He also threatened to kill her if she notified the police.

However, the wife’s loud screams for help prompted neighbors to call police for assistance. The defendant was taken into custody where he spent the weekend in custody before he appeared in court on the following Monday.

While the defendant was released on his own recognizance, the court ordered that he find another place to stay while his case is pending in court and is also ordered not to make direct or indirect contact with his wife without the court’s permission.