Court Report

DEFENDANT ESCAPES FROM DISTRICT COURT BUILDING

A man recently apprehended after allegedly making threatening remarks to his wife made an escape on July 12, 2023 during his initial court appearance. According to the on duty Court Marshall, the defendant was inside a temporary holding cell at District Court when the defendant asked the Marshall if he could use the bathroom, and the Court Marshall accommodated. Afterwards, the defendant asked for water because he was thirsty. 

The Court Marshall then walked into the office to grab a bottle of water, and looked up at the security cameras and saw a woman handing something over to inmates inside their holding cells. He immediately rushed to where the holding cells were and told the woman that she “can’t hand anything over to the inmates” and that’s when he noticed that the defendant was not inside his cell.

A second woman told the Marshall that the defendant had walked out of the courthouse.

On July 13, an anonymous tip come into the Tafuna Police Substation saying that the defendant was at his residence in Fagaima, and upon arrival, officers observed him sitting there. Officers ordered the defendant to step out of the house, and he complied.

The defendant was originally confined at TCF on a domestic charge, where he is alleged to have threatened to cut his wife’s head off with a machete. The defendant is now being charged with one felony count of escaping custody, with a bail amount set at $1,000.

DRUNKEN HUSBAND CHARGED WITH PPD

A woman requested police assistance to calm down her drunken husband who she claimed was breaking dishes and yelling profanities in their home on July 20, 2023 in the early evening.

When officers arrived they observed a female standing on the stairs of their front porch and identified herself as the caller. According to the woman, her husband came home drunk and started swearing at her, then grabbed the pot of food that was in the kitchen and threw it, afterwards he proceeded to break all the dishes in the sink, while yelling and swearing at her.

After officers interviewed the wife, she directed them to the bedroom her husband was in, and cops approached the defendant and handcuffed him and escorted him to the Fagatogo police station.

Officers reported detecting a strong odor of alcohol on the man’s breath. The husband said that the only thing he did was break some plates and yell, but he “did not hit his wife.”

Defendant is being charged with one count of private peace disturbance.

His bail is set at $300.