Deputy AG Appears on Order to Show Cause

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Deputy Attorney General Mitzie Jessop Taase fronted before District Court Judge Elvis Patea yesterday to explain why a man whom the court ordered to be held without bail was released from the Territorial Correctional Facility.

The man , Henry Ruiv Barba, was to appear in court December 31 last year but the court learned that he was not in custody, that he was released on December 21st per a release order signed by the Deputy AG.

Taase apologized to the court saying there was no intention to disobey the court’s order.

However she was given a release form by Immigration for this individual and it was her understanding that the reasons for which Barba was held had been administratively resolved.

She told Judge Patea she was not aware of the court’s order that Barba not be released.

The deputy AG admitted that she should have checked with the District Court prosecutors before signing the release form but pointed out that the routine is Immigration would only prepare the form if issues for which a detainee was held at the TCF had been addressed.

Taase said it was not her intention to disregard the order of the court but that she took it in good faith that when she signed for the man’s release, all was in order.

District Court Judge Patea asked who at Immigration prepared the form she signed.

Taaase responded that Jeremiah Gaisoa’s name appeared on the form but she has established that Gaisoa was not the person who presented the form for her to sign.

She couldn’t recollect the name of the agent who gave her the form for her signature.

District Court Judge Patea said he was not completely satisfied with the Deputy AG’s explanation and commented that whoever presented the form to Taase for signing was not totally honest.

The judge continued the show cause hearing and told Taase to do her part in finding out the circumstances that led to the release of an individual that the court ordered to be held without bail.

Patea said there’s got to be a better system in place for the detention of aliens and ensuring that court orders are followed.

Taase will be back in court February 19th .

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