By Bryan Manabat
bryan@mvariety.com
Variety News Staff
SUPERIOR Court Judge Joseph N. Camacho on Monday found probable cause to charge Charlston Yamada Aiken with assaulting his girlfriend, following a preliminary hearing.
After hearing testimony from government witness Lt. Catherine Pangelinan, Judge Camacho found probable cause to believe that Aiken committed assault and battery (domestic violence), disturbing the peace, and resisting arrest.
“The defendant is therefore held to answer said charges,” the judge stated.
Aiken, 45, was remanded to the custody of the Department of Corrections and ordered to appear for arraignment before Presiding Judge Roberto C. Naraja on Nov. 3 at 9 a.m.
He was represented by Chief Public Defender Douglas Hartig, while Assistant Attorney General Daniel Johnson appeared for the government.
According to the Department of Public Safety, officers responded to a disturbance at the I Zone shop on Beach Road, Chalan Kanoa, on Sept. 23 at 5:16 p.m.
“Upon arrival, officers learned that Charlston Aiken had slammed a person to the ground and punched the same person several times. He later fled toward Laly Four beachside,” said acting DPS Public Information Officer Simon Manacop.
Officers later found Aiken on the roof of a residence, where he had barricaded himself and refused to cooperate. He eventually jumped off the roof, injuring himself, and was transported to the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation for treatment.
Court documents identify the victim as Aiken’s girlfriend.
On Oct. 21, DPS arrested Aiken again for a separate incident involving disturbing the peace and assault and battery in the Laly Four area.
“Recorded videos of other incidents involving Aiken have surfaced on social media platforms,” Manacop added.
Bryan Manabat was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College where he also studied criminal justice. He is the recipient of the NMI Humanities Award as an Outstanding Teacher (Non-Classroom) in 2013, and has worked for the CNMI Motheread/Fatheread Literacy Program as lead facilitator.
