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Court orders Mathewson’s trial heard on Rota
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Posted on Apr 07 2016
William Kapono Mathewson
Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho yesterday set a jury trial date in the case against William Kapono Mathewson, a man charged with beating and stabbing Dr. Francois Claassens with a fishing spear in the neck.
At a status conference, Camacho ordered that the jury trial of Mathewson will commence at the Rota Superior Court on Oct. 11, 2016, at 9am.
Camacho set a pre-trial conference on July 13, 2016, at 9am, at which time all pretrial motions will be heard and admissibility issues will be addressed.
Assistant attorney general Chester Hinds, counsel for the government, requested for the October 2016 trial as they wish to get their own mental health expert to do a mental evaluation on Mathewson.
Mathewson has already been evaluated by the defense’s mental expert, Saipan Tribune learned.
Camacho ordered the parties to make reservations for advance travel, hotel, and car to avoid any delays of the trial.
Camacho said any request for additional funding for expert by the Office of the Public Defender must be made in writing.
Chief Public Defender Douglas Hartig and assistant public defender Michael Sato are counsel for Mathewson.
On April 29, 2015, Camacho granted the request of assistant public defender Sato to appoint a psychiatrist who will examine Mathewson. The prosecution did not oppose Sato’s request.
In requesting for appointment of psychiatrist, Sato disclosed that Mathewson will rely upon the defense of insanity at the time when he committed the alleged crime.
Mathewson, a farmer/fisherman, allegedly stabbed the then-60-year-old Claassens in the neck with a fishing spear and clubbed him on the head with a big pot and chain.
The brutal attack happened in the backyard of the doctor’s house in Teneto Village on Rota on April 4, 2015. Mathewson’s house is located near the doctor’s residence.
Claassens has recovered from his injuries.
