Mistrial declared in trial of American Samoa officials charged with public corruption offenses
By APWednesday, February 24, 2010
American Samoa officials’ trial ends in mistrial
PAGO PAGO, American Samoa — A mistrial has been declared in the Washington, D.C., federal court trial of American Samoa Lt. Gov. Aitofele Sunia and Sen. Tini Lam Yuen.
Sunia and Yuen were charged with public corruption offenses after authorities say they conspired to split a large project for school furniture construction among companies they owned and a third company owned by another official.
Defense attorneys and U.S. Department of Justice spokeswoman Laura Sweeney confirmed a mistrial was declared Tuesday.
Attorneys representing Sunia and Yuen say U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton declared the mistrial after jurors deadlocked following nine days of deliberations, with 11 favoring acquittal.
American Samoa is a U.S. territory in the South Pacific, about 2,300 miles south of Hawaii.
