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50 prospective jurors sought in ex-probate administrator’s trial
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Posted on Apr 02 2009
The federal court wants to summon 50 prospective jurors in the upcoming jury trial of a former estate administrator who is facing charges of wire fraud and money laundering.
U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Alex R. Munson yesterday ordered the Clerk of Court or his authorized deputy clerks to randomly select by electronic method 50 prospective jurors for the trial of Luis Kaipat Pelisamen.
Munson said the panel of 50 jurors will be selected from a jury pool of 73 prospective jurors.
After the selection, the judge authorized the Clerk of Court or his deputy clerks to issue summons to these 50 jurors for their appearance on April 20, 2009, at 8am or at any date and time following the conclusion of the ongoing jury trial of Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Villagomez and co-defendants.
The jury trial of Pelisamen was set for April 20 at 9am.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Pelisamen in January 2008 following an indictment that charged him and attorney Joseph Aldan Arriola of stealing $625,575 from the Rita Kaipat estate’s account.
The FBI has yet to arrest Arriola, who reportedly fled the CNMI.
Pelisamen used to be the administrator of the Kaipat estate. Arriola served as Pelisamen’s counsel in that probate.
Then Superior Court Associate Judge Juan T. Lizama kicked out Pelisamen and Arriola from the probate after finding that some money in the estate was missing.
