Man jailed after allegedly slapping his girlfriend while she was holding their infant

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On August 17, 2024, a female individual contacted the Tafuna Police Substation to report her brother causing a disturbance at home and allegedly assaulting his girlfriend.

The defendant was later apprehended after resisting arrest and was charged with:

Count 1: Private Peace Disturbance (DV), a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen days, a fine of $300, or both;

Count 2: Assault in the Third Degree (DV), a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of $1,000, or both; and,

Count 3: Resisting Arrest, a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of $1,000, or both.

The defendant’s bail was set at $1,000.

According to the affidavit, on August 17th, at around 9:55 p.m, police officers were dispatched to a call regarding a male individual that was causing a disturbance at a family home.

Police officers arrived at the scene and observed two unknown males standing in front of the suspect trying to calm him down.

One of the officers met with the reporter where she verbally stated that her brother, Siaki Penehuro was drunk and had started calling out her husband if he wanted to fight. She said that before the suspect called her husband out for a fight that the suspect had assaulted his wife (later on identified as the girlfriend).

She explained that her drunk brother then came downstairs and called out her husband and two of her other cousins. Her uncle tried to calm him down but he was still trying to fight her husband. At that time, she contacted the police station and reported her brother.

According to the affidavit, as officers approached the suspect, the suspect verbally said “that the police officers have no grounds to take him in”.

The suspect then pushed one of the officers and another officer grabbed the suspect hard as he flailed his arms resisting being held by the officers. Finally, the officers were able to subdue the suspect and he was placed inside the police unit and transported to the TPS.

In the meantime, the girlfriend of the suspect (who is the victim) walked into TPS to file a report against her boyfriend.

According to the victim, she stated that the suspect came inside their room and gave her food. She explained that the suspect was already intoxicated and got mad because she didn’t eat the food he brought her. She continued that the suspect slapped her once on the right side of her face while she was carrying their 2-month- old daughter, and when she put the baby down the suspect grabbed her by the neck and started strangling her on the bed for about 2- 3 seconds while she lay next to the infant.

After choking her, he left to go downstairs, she said. The victim then contacted her uncle to pick her and her baby up, and she later walked to the TPS.

At the TPS, the suspect was Mirandized and he waived his rights and offered a verbal statement.

The suspect stated that he bought his girlfriend food but she didn’t want to eat it. He got mad and slapped her and then choked her for a few seconds. He left the room to go downstairs to catch some air but he was approached by his sister’s husband. He admitted that he got mad at him and asked him if he wanted to fight. His sister then contacted the TPS.

The suspect was booked and confined at the Tafuna Correctional Facility to await the next available sitting of the District Court.

The defendant is identified as a 27-year-old citizen of Samoa.