One arrested after brothers feud while parents off island

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — In December 2023, an adult male was arrested for allegedly assaulting his younger brother (a minor) in Malaeimi while their parents were overseas. The defendant was arrested and charged with the following:

Count 1: Assault- Second Degree (DV), a class D felony punishable by a term of imprisonment not exceeding five (5) years, a fine not exceeding five (5) years, or both imprisonment and fine; and,.

Count 2: Private Peace Disturbance, a class C misdemeanor punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to fifteen (15) days, or a fine of up to $300, or both imprisonment and fine.

Bail for the defendant is set at $5,000.

According to the affidavit, on December 14, 2023, a concerned parent (of the victim and suspect) contacted the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) from Savai’i in need of assistance concerning her oldest son who had assaulted his younger brother in Malaeimi.

(Samoa News withheld the names of those involved in this case to protect the identity of the minor involved.)

The police officers proceeded to serve the call and upon arrival met with the minor (victim) who briefed the officers about what had happened. The victim alleged that his older brother assaulted him with a wheel cover and he sustained an open wound on the left side of his neck. The officers took photographs of the victim’s injuries. The victim also told the police officer that his brother damaged their parents’ vehicle rear windshield using his fist.

The affidavit further stated that the police officer contacted TPS and relayed information of the victim’s injury to EMS and to meet at TPS. The officer also informed the victim (a minor) in the presence of his aunt, to come by the TPS.

Later the officers observed the suspect walking out of the home and was apprehended and placed inside the police unit and was transported to the TPS for further investigation.

At at the TPS, the defendant was Mirandized and agreed to answer any questions pertaining to the incident.

According to the defendant, he stated he called for his younger brother to come to the house but he (victim) refused.

He said “he got up and called his younger brother twice and when he walked over he was shocked when his younger brother assaulted him on the mouth.” He then tried to hold his brother away from him but his younger brother was still punching him, according to the court record.

Later, the police officers interviewed the victim in the presence of his aunt and he later provided a written statement.

According to the victim’s statement, “he was called by his older brother (defendant) to come to the house because he doesn’t want him to hang around at the neighbor’s house.” He said that he was upset and assaulted his brother — and got into a fist-fight with him.

“The victim did not recall how he injured his neck; instead, he remembered his older brother holding a wheel cover in his hands,” the affidavit stated.

According to a witness at the scene, he was on his way home from work and he saw the brothers fighting. He witnessed the older brother getting up from the ground and hitting his younger brother with the wheel cover on the left side of his face.

The defendant was booked and confined awaiting the next sitting of the court.

The brothers are identified as citizens of Samoa.