A faafafine charged with public peace disturbance and for having an open beer can claims harassment by police.
Police reports say after a night out at the Night Hawk, the defendant, Falaniko Stowers, caught a cab home.
While in the cab Stowers started swearing at police officers heading in the opposite direction.
The officers found a 750 ml Steinlager beer that was opened and could smell the strong odor of alcohol from the defendant.
Under the American Samoa Code Annotated, it is unlawful to consume beer or an alcoholic beverage or to be in possession of an unsealed container containing beer or an alcoholic beverage in a moving vehicle.
The defendant was apprehended near the Tafuna Sub-Station and was taken into custody.
But in court this morning, Stowers denied that she swore at the cops.
The defendant said “this is the first time this has happened to me, I feel like I was set up.”
Stowers told KHJ News she feels the cops are harassing her because she’s a faafafine.
The taxi stand whose cab Stowers used reports that she was a regular customer and that night the defendant did not have any beer on her.
According to a taxi operator, their stand is strict and will not allow an open alcohol beverage container in a moving vehicle.
The operator said, “I’m surprised to hear that she was locked up because she not the kind of person to break the rules.”
The defendant was released from custody and was ordered by the court to show up for her next court date November 10th.
