Michael A. Jackson’s retrial set for Oct. 11

Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho yesterday set for Oct. 11, 2016 the retrial of Michael Anthony Jackson, a man facing charges of kidnapping and raping a then-15-year-old girl on Saipan.

At a status conference, Camacho also ordered the parties in the case to appear at the pre-trial conference on Sept. 14 at 9am.

Jackson appeared with his new court-appointed counsel, Charles Reyes. Assistant attorney general Betsy Weintraub appeared for the government.

The retrial of Jackson was earlier set for Aug. 22, 2016.

Before Reyes, attorney Loren Sutton was appointed as counsel for Jackson after the defendant filed a disciplinary complaint against his eighth court-appointed counsel, Mun Su Park.

Sutton also later asked the court to withdraw as counsel for Jackson for some personal issues. Camacho granted the request.

Camacho earlier noted that Jackson had filed disciplinary complaints against his seven other court-appointed counsels in this case.

On April 26, 2013, the jury found Jackson guilty of kidnapping and sexual assault in the first degree. Camacho, who decided on the misdemeanor charge, also found the defendant guilty of assault.

On May 15, 2013, Camacho slapped the then-34-year-old Jackson with a jail maximum term of 40 years and six months without possibility of parole.

Jackson then appealed. He asked the CNMI high court to reverse his convictions and remand the matter for a new trial, or in the alternative for re-sentencing.

At the appeal hearing, Park argued as court-appointed counsel for Jackson.

Last Dec. 30, the CNMI Supreme Court reversed the conviction and remanded Jackson’s case to Superior Court for a new trial.

The justices ruled that Camacho erred in not repeating substantive jury instructions at the close of evidence.

The justices said closing instructions allow the jury to focus on the law, the evidence, and its responsibilities in order to arrive at a proper determination.

Police said the girl was walking along Tun Joaquin Doi Road in Fina Sisu from an Internet café and was on her way home on Oct. 9, 2010 at about 1am when Jackson forced her into his car, brought her to an open field at the Saipan Airport, and raped her inside his car. He then forced the girl to smoke methamphetamine or “ice.”

The girl later managed to run away, police said.