James Robert Kingman
THE Superior Court has issued another subpoena “commanding” Assistant Attorney General James Kingman to testify at the trial of Shayne B. Villanueva, who was charged with contempt of Legislature.
In an amended subpoena issued on Dec. 5, Clerk of Court Patrick Diaz stated, “Failure to comply with this subpoena may constitute the crime of contempt of court and a warrant may be issued for your arrest.”
The subpoena directed Kingman to appear and testify at Villanueva’s trial scheduled for Jan. 27, 2025.
“Your attendance is required throughout the trial … from day to day until it is completed, or upon notice by the court or [defense lawyers] Mr. Joaquin DLG Torres or Keith Chambers II, that this subpoena or your attendance is no longer necessary,” the subpoena stated.
Kingman was served with the amended subpoena on Dec. 11 through the Office of the Attorney General’s Criminal Division.
The subpoena included a $40 check for the witness fee.
Recently, Associate Judge Kenneth L. Govendo sanctioned and disqualified Kingman from Villanueva’s case.
Judge Govendo also denied Kingman’s motion to quash the subpoena that required the assistant AG to testify as a witness in the trial, saying that the motion was “not well-founded.”
He also granted the defense’s cross-motion to recuse Kingman, saying “Kingman should not remain the prosecutor for this matter to ensure procedural integrity and due process for all parties throughout the court.”
In his order, the judge reprimanded Kingman and ordered him to pay a $500 fine for violating the model rules of professional conduct, specifically for “abusing his prosecutorial power and authority, which led to his forced recusal for bias and lack of impartiality.”
Likewise, Judge Govendo reprimanded Villanueva’s attorney, Keith Chambers, and ordered him to pay a $500 fine for violating the model rules of professional conduct, specifically for “harming the administration of justice and wasting resources by withholding crucial information and inconveniencing other parties.”
Both lawyers were ordered to pay the fine by Dec. 27, 2024.
Background
Villanueva’s bench trial, originally set for Nov. 6, 2024, was rescheduled for Dec. 3, 2024. But because the parties informed Judge Govendo of other pending motions, he rescheduled the trial for Jan. 27, 2025.
The case was reassigned to Judge Govendo after Presiding Judge Roberto C. Naraja recused himself from the case. The judge is the uncle of Rep. Ralph N. Yumul, the chair of the House special committee that found Villanueva in contempt of the Legislature. Villanueva has pled not guilty to the charge.
Villanueva invoked his Fifth Amendment right when asked questions about BOOST by the House special committee.
BOOST stands for “Building Optimism, Opportunities and Stability Together,” a $17 million federally funded program.
Villanueva is the owner of Roil Soil Marketing, which the administration of then-Gov. Ralph DLG Torres contracted to help implement BOOST in 2022.
