26 Apr 2010

Court officially grants motion dismissing charges against American Samoa politicians

7:46 pm on 26 April 2010

The federal court in Washington D.C. has officially granted the U.S. Department of Justice's motion to dismiss criminal charges against two American Samoa politicians.

Federal prosecutors had filed a motion to dismiss the second superseding indictment without prejudice against Lieutenant Governor ,Faoa Aitofele Sunia, and sitting Senator, Tulifua Tini Lam Yuen.

A federal grand jury in February was unable to reach a unanimous verdict in the charges against the defendants and therefore the U.S. District Court Judge Reggie Walton declared a mistrial.

During a status hearing last month on the case, prosecutors revealed that they will not refile charges against the two politicians.