Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A man who refused to leave home pursuant to a civil protection order from the High Court and approached his brother with a machete is now in custody after he was arrested by police on the weekend.

Edward Floor made his initial appearance in District Court this week. He is charged with disturbing the private peace (PPD) inside his home.

Due to the nature of the alleged incident and the previous encounter with the brother, Acting Associate Justice Elvis P. Patea set bail at $2,000.

If he posts bond, Floor, 57, is ordered not to set foot in his home in Iliili but to reside elsewhere. He was also ordered not to have any contact with the victim in this matter, his brother.

THE CASE

Around 6:10p.m on Friday, Sept. 4, 2020, a man from Iliili contacted the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) alleging that his brother, Edward Floor, the defendant in this case, was causing a disturbance in the family by yelling profanities at him (victim) and threatening the victim using a machete, and also engaging him in a fist fight. Furthermore, the defendant was also failing to follow the civil protection order from the High Court.

Several police officers responded and spoke to the victim regarding the alleged matter. The victim first showed officers the restraining order for his brother, the defendant, and the victim then pointed out his brother, who was sitting inside the kitchen area.

Officers then proceeded to the kitchen in an effort to apprehend the defendant, and while they tried to place handcuffs on the defendant, Floor resisted arrest by scuffling with officers on the ground. Shortly, officers were able to apprehend the defendant and transport him to the TPS for questioning.

When questioned by investigators, the victim stated that he arrived at his residence at around 6p.m thinking that his brother was vacating their home after being served with the restraining order. However when he arrived home, he saw his brother standing in front of the house holding a machete saying that he wouldn’t leave the house, and then walking back inside the house.

That is when the victim called the TPS to report the matter while standing outside of the house. Right after the victim called police, his brother came outside the house holding a machete in his right hand and threatening him saying that he would kill him. The victim was scared because his brother had hit him before and recently, he broke his bedroom door using a metal ladder.

The victim fled and was hiding from his brother to wait for police to assist him. The victim also told investigators that this is not the first time his brother had threatened him with a machete.

After being informed of his constitutional rights, the defendant said he understood his rights and refused to make a statement.