Chief Justice Michael Kruse flatly rejected a motion by Vaatausili Tofaeono who is serving a jail sentence for felony driving for work release.
Tofaeono ‘s attorney Assistant Public Defendant Mathoni McCormick said Tofaeono’s service was needed for projects that’s he’s involved with for the Community Cancer Coalition and other health related activities.
According to the motion, a key member of the Coalition was no longer available due to health reasons and is undergoing treatment off island.
Therefore Tofaeono‘s service is very much needed.
McCormick said without Tofaeono’s help, the programs and services of community organizations he’s affiliated with ould be in jeopardy.
Chief Justice Michael Kruse asked the prison guard who was in court, how many inmates were currently at the Territorial Correctional Facility.
About 200 more or less was the reply.
The CJ said, “Im sure a good number of the inmates at TCF would say the same thing that Tofaeono is saying about how important they are to their work.”
Kruse rejected the motion for work release.
