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DPS sued for unlawful detention
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Posted on Dec 13 2000
A Saipan resident is seeking at least $3.3 million in damages for an alleged unlawful detention by the Department of Public Safety last year.
Michael N. Mettao of Chalan Laulau names DPS and the Division of Corrections, Commissioner Charles W. Ingram DOC Director Gregorio Castro, Captain Johannes Ngraibuuch, officers Julian Camacho and Mary Louis Tanaka and five other police officers in the lawsuit.
In the complaint filed by lawyer Robert T. Torres in the U.S. District Court, the plaintiff accused them of holding him unlawfully in their custody between March 14 to September 13, 1999 or a total of 182 days.
Mr. Mettao was arrested on March 13 while at work at the Eurotex garment factory by Officer Camacho based on an arrest warrant issued by the Superior Court days earlier for a criminal case.
He was immediately booked and detained to await his arraignment in court. He, however, did not have a chance to appear in court as the police officers handling him failed to inform the court that he was under their custody, according to the complaint.
The plaintiff is now demanding $3 million in punitive damages and $300,000 in compensatory damages for the alleged unlawful detention, intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligence by the police.
