8 Nov 2006

American Samoan Cabinet Minister's son jailed for five years for assault

2:59 pm on 8 November 2006

The High Court in American Samoa has handed down the maximum sentence for a man convicted of the severe beating of his girlfriend in 2004.

Pete Galeai, the son of a cabinet member and paramount chief, has been jailed for five years.

The victim testified that the defendant hit her with a stick and when she tried to run away, he beat her so badly she was hospitalised for six days.

Galeai was on probation for a similar incident at the time.