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Man beats his wife after she tells their landlord that he's a drug dealer

Dist Court Judge Fiti Sunia
ausage@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A 40-year-old man from the west side was arrested this week on the allegation that he assaulted his wife, after she told their neighbor that he is selling drugs.

To protect the identity of victims in domestic cases, Samoa News does not identify the defendants by name.

The defendant, who works as a carpenter, made his initial appearance in District Court this week. He is represented by Assistant Public Defender Anna Wells, while prosecuting the case is Assistant Attorney General Jason Mitchell.

The defendant is charged with endangering the welfare of a child, third degree assault, and public peace disturbance, all class A misdemeanor.

Dist Court Judge Fiti Sunia established bond at $300.

If he posts his bond, the court has ordered the usual conditions including that he not make any direct or indirect contact with the victims in this case, which are his wife and children. He is also ordered to stay away from their home, and find another place to live until further order of the court.

The government claims that on Nov. 10th, 2018, the Tafuna Substation received a call from an unknown male, asking for assistance regarding a woman and her children who were being chased out of their home by her husband, who is also the father of the 3 children.

Officers were able to speak to the woman and her three children; and according to the woman, she told the man who owns the land they live on, that her husband is selling marijuana.

The woman told police that she confronted her husband last week regarding the marijuana joints that were inside his pocket, but her husband told her not to discuss the issue with anybody.

Last Saturday evening, the woman said her husband came home drunk and started yelling at her about some family matters, and asked why she spoke to the landlord about the marijuana joints.

The court affidavit notes that the defendant continued to yell at his wife, while his children were crying. He then pulled his eldest son by the hand before he stood up and allegedly punched his wife in the facial area multiple times. The wife was able to cover her face with her hands. The defendant then chased his wife and children out of the house, and told them that if they called the police, he would beat them some more.

After speaking to the woman, officers went to the house and apprehended the defendant. Officers detected a strong odor of alcohol on the defendant’s breath.