Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A man who is on probation for assaulting his partner is now back in court on the allegation that he has again assaulted the same victim — his partner.

Calvin Seumanutafa, 36, was sentenced by the High Court in November of last year made his initial appearance in this latest case last month.

He is charged with three misdemeanor charges including 3rd- degree assault; private peace disturbance and resisting arrest, all involving domestic violence.

Bail is set at $2,000.

If he posts bond, the court ordered Seumanutafa not to have any direct or indirect contact with the victim in this case, his long time partner and his two young children.

The government alleges on Sept. 27 around 8:05p.m a man contacted the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) for assistance after he heard a woman from his neighbor’s house, screaming for help while her male partner was allegedly beating her up.

Several police officers responded to the call and met up with the reporter, who said he heard his neighbor screaming for help saying that her husband is beating her up, and then he heard the victim calling out for somebody to call the cops for help.

At that point, he immediately called the TPS for assistance.

Officers met up with the victim at her residence and she told investigators that she and Seumanutafa had had an argument. Investigators then requested to speak with Seumanutafa.

The victim went into the house and was heard arguing with Seumanutafa. Investigators then informed Seumanutafa that he was going to be taken into TPS but Seumanutafa told them that he wasn’t going to TPS.

As Seumanutafa tried to exit the back door officers apprehended him and transported him to the TPS.

After he was Mirandized, Seumanutafa stated that he understood his rights and wished to make a statement.

According to Seumanutafa, he was pissed-off because his partner continues to bad-mouth him in front of his friends and family members and that’s why he assaulted her. He then apologizied to investigators for his actions.

BACKGROUND

In November of last year, Seumanutafa was convicted for one count of private peace disturbance (PPD) involving domestic violence, a class C misdemeanor; one count of criminal contempt, a class A misdemeanor; and one count of public peace disturbance, a class B misdemeanor.

He was sentenced to 15 days imprisonment and a $300 fine for PPD involving domestic violence. He was also sentenced to 6 months in jail and a $500 fine for PPD. For criminal contempt, he was sentenced to one year behind bars and a $1,000 fine.

The sentences were to run consecutively; however, execution of the sentence was suspended and Seumanutafa was placed on probation for 24 months subject to several conditions. He was to serve 120 days at the TCF, and was credited with the 87 days he had served in pretrial confinement. He also was ordered to to pay a $1,000 fine.

The court was also told that Seumanutafa had appeared in District Court last year for 3 separate domestic cases involving the same victim. His first domestic violence conviction was a few years back, which also involved the same victim.