Court Report

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Nineteen-year old Nua Taimalie appeared in District Court yesterday for his initial appearance on a drug charge with his preliminary examination scheduled for December 5, 2023. 

THE CASE

On January 5, 2023, the Vice and Narcotics Unit was dispatched to a call at Tafuna High School regarding the presence of illegal controlled substances that were discovered on the 19-year-old while he was on the school campus. 

Upon arrival at the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS), the Vice and Narcotics Unit was briefed by Department of Public Safety (DPS) officers on the situation. According to them, a teacher was notified by Tafuna High School’s acting principal at the time, Oakland Salave’a, to contact the police station because they had discovered that drugs were found on one of the students on campus. 

DPS officers responded and then met with Salave’a at the main office, where he handed them two hand rolled joints with a cherry bomb that were allegedly confiscated from the defendant. Taimalie was then escorted to the police unit and brought in to the TPS for further investigation. 

With the information they had gathered, DPS officers proceeded to Mirandize Taimalie, where he indicated that he understood his rights. Taimalie however, did not wish to exercise his rights or to make a statement and answer questions. 

The two hand rolled joints were tested and yielded a positive result for marijuana. Evidence was then documented and taken to the department’s custodial evidence room. 

Taimalie was booked and processed for confinement at the Tafuna Correctional Facility (TCF).

He is charged with the unlawful possession of a controlled substance, and bail was set at $3,000.

Court records did not explain why the delay for the initial appearance.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CHARGES

On October 3, 2023 at 9:17 PM, a woman contacted the 911 emergency line regarding her husband allegedly assaulting her and damaging items in their residence. Upon receiving the report, officers responded to the call and arrived at the residence at 10:05 PM, where they observed an unidentified male walking towards them. 

Later identified as the defendant, he briefed officers about the situation, and a few minutes later, the victim came up and told her side of the story. 

According to the victim, she had a verbal argument with her husband regarding personal matters when she saw her husband grab a full Bud Light can and he threw it to her, hitting her on the back. The victim further states that her husband started making unreasonable noises by swearing at her, and that’s where things started getting out of control. 

The victim states she then tried to contact the police station, but her husband reached over and grabbed the phone out of her hands, and threw it on the ground. 

The victim says that she got scared and ran to a neighbor, seeking help and that’s when she was able to contact the Fagatogo Police Station. 

The victim states that she was tired of her husband’s antics, and alleged that whenever he is drunk, he tends to beat her up or argue with her almost every night.

Officers then apprehended the defendant and transported him to FPS for further booking and process. 

During booking, officers noted that a strong odor of alcohol coming from his breath when he responded, and his eyes were also red, according to the report.

The defendant faces domestic violence charges with two counts of private peace disturbance and assault in the third degree.

Bail for the defendant is set at $1,000.