Chief Justice Arthur Ngiraklsong set the trial for October 20 at 9 am at the Melekeok courtroom.
The defendant who was represented by Chief Public Defender Garth Backe appeared for arraignment on Monday and entered a plea of not guilty to the charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and aggravated assault.The bail was set at $2,500 surety bond.Assistant Attorney General Michael Copeland appeared on behalf of the government.The police affidavit submitted in court stated that the victim, a US Navy personnel who was stationed at Camp Katuu was on his way back to the base when attacked by the defendant.The affidavit stated that the victim’s companion stopped a patrol officer on August 30 at 1:40 a.m. and reported that the victim was assaulted in the face by a sharp object.The victim and his colleague were aboard a vehicle and were traversing along the road, at the construction site near Imperial Bar when the defendant came up to the vehicle and suddenly slashed the victim upside the face with an object which was later identified as machete.The defendant immediately fled from the scene but was arrested later.During investigation, police gathered that the defendant was intoxicated when the incident happened.The defendant admitted to being drunk, getting the machete and wandering around the street.The defendant told investigators that when a car got close to him, he went up to the car and slashed the passenger across the face.The victim sustained a few dozen stitches in the face and was evacuated to Guam for medical treatment.
