Court Briefs

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Fagatogo police headquarters received a call about two individuals bickering at their residence in Satala. Upon arrival, officers heard someone crying from inside the house and observed an unidentified male standing in the front door. The unidentified male saw the officers walking up to the house and fled. Officers proceeded to interview another man, kneeling next to the bed where an unknown female was sitting, crying.

Officers then asked about the unidentified male that fled, and the second man stated that it was his son, Misi Fa’amoana. Upon being questioned by police, he said that he had heard a verbal argument coming from Misi’s house between the victim and his son, and came to check on what was happening.

 The victim then explained what had occurred, and according to her, their argument started when she told Misi to turn on the lights so she could change the baby’s diaper. Misi woke up and was aggressive and started swearing at her.

While they were engaged in their argument, the father came over to stop them but the victim retaliated by swearing back at Misi. The defendant then grabbed the victim’s clothes and threw them outside the house, and turned around to the victim and pulled the baby out of her arms. The victim then yelled at the defendant to “give the baby back” and felt the baby’s head hit her elbow.

The leading officer then asked the victim if there was another place she and her child could stay for the night because it was unsafe for them, to which she told the officers no. The victim refused to go with the officers and stated that the defendant’s sister would stay with them.

The defendant’s father further explained that when he heard the victim swearing at the defendant, he ran up and saw Misi standing in front of the victim while she was crying, and also allegedly witnessed his son slapping the victim’s mouth with an open hand.

Misi Fa’amoana was not apprehended at the scene.

He is being charged with four counts — one count of private peace disturbance, two counts of assault in the third degree, and one count of endangering the welfare of a child.

DOMESTIC ABUSE CASE

On August 31, 2023 at 08:31 PM, the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) received a call from a woman in Nu’uuli stating that her husband had hit her. Upon arrival on the scene, officers met with the victim where she briefly explained the situation and directed the officers to her residence and to identify her husband. Officers met up with the defendant and he confessed to hitting his wife.

According to the victim’s verbal and written statement, she was about to leave for work, and her son was crying to go with her. The defendant told her to scold and hit their son to try and teach him not to cry for her and follow her around. The victim refused to do so, which angered the defendant who tried to throw a fan at her, and eventually hit her in the neck with a traditional Samoan broom, causing her minor pain.

She then ran to the Happy Mart store and called for authorities.

The defendant in his verbal and written statement to police, reiterated what his wife had stated to police about the incident, including that  was “irritated with the crying and how his wife doesn’t scold and teach their son right from wrong.” He further stated that he “told her to scold him to show that it’s not always good to cry and follow her around,” but she refused and that further angered him.

He then allegedly grabbed the broom and hit her in the neck, and that’s when she took off running to the road. At 9:04 PM, officers Mirandized the defendant and was taken to Tafuna Correctional Facility (TCF) to be confined.

The defendant is being charged with private peace disturbance and assault in the third degree.

Bail is set at $1,000.00.

ZEMING ZHOU

On August 28, 2023 at 12:03 AM, a Corrections officer contacted TPS to report that a woman with 3 children had waved down their unit in Pava’ia’i in front of a store, and reported that her husband had beaten her up.

Upon arrival at the scene, officers met with the victim and she verbally stated that she was telling her husband to fix their kids wifi but instead he went to take a shower. While he was in the shower, she argued with him on fixing the wifi, and that’s when he got mad and allegedly punched her twice in the face. Further, while they were arguing, the defendant turned around and ran towards her and kicked her in the stomach, while holding her hair and hitting her on the right shoulder, according to the court report.

The victim further also that when the defendant retreated to their bedroom, she and her three daughters ran outside and waved down the Correctional Facility Unit that they saw passing by. All three daughters witnessed what had occurred, and noted that the defendant left in their family vehicle. The victim refused treatment by Emergency Medical Services (EMS).

An all points bulletin was put out to locate the vehicle of the defendant, and it turned up in the Fagatogo area. The defendant was then apprehended and Mirandized at the Fagatogo Police Station (FPS).

Upon interviewing the defendant, he verbally admitted to the assault of his wife because she was trying to argue with him to fix the wifi. He further admitted that he couldn’t control his anger because he was intoxicated, and that he left to cool off, when officers found him.

The defendant, identified as Zeming Zhou, is being charged with five criminal counts. One count for assault in the third degree, one count for private peace disturbance and three counts for endangering the welfare of a child.

Bail is set at $1,000.