A brush with the supernatural world

Superior Court judge Juan T. Lizama, whose seat, microphone and desk now figure in an investigation on a woman who allegedly performed black magic on them, said that he used to be skeptical of superstitious beliefs but had reason to change his mind a few years ago.

“When I was building my house, I saw it. I had the experience of the effect of taotaomona [spirits]. Now, I believe that there is taotaomona,” the judge said.

He narrated that he felt being pushed by someone when nobody was around. Later, there were red marks of three fingers on his shoulder, Lizama said.

Because of the frightening experience, Lizama asked three priests to bless his Papago house on three separate occasions.

Several years ago, the judge said that there was a “powerful” witch doctor who gave him “medicine” to keep him safe from harm and black magic. He disposed of the “medicine” when the witch doctor died as the latter instructed.

Lizama said he was not bothered by a woman’s attempt to perform black magic on his seat, saying, “There is no higher being than God.”

He disclosed, though, that a maintenance worker (identity withheld) at the Superior Court became sick yesterday while cleaning his chair and joking about the black magic. The man sustained rashes and went home, the judge said.

The woman had allegedly performed black magic on Lizama’s seat for him to be lenient with one of the defendants who was set to appear at his courtroom last Monday afternoon.

Superior Court marshal Jess Santos turned over the woman to police Monday after he caught her performing incantations on Lizama’s seat while the courtroom was empty. Santos saw the woman through the Marshal’s security camera and video monitor.

The woman told Santos that she had poured “medicine” on the judge’s seat so that the magistrate would feel sorry for David S. Yanneris, who is facing five traffic charges, including driving under the influence of alcohol and reckless driving. The 35-year-old Pohnpeian got his traffic citation last Oct. 31, 2004.

Court records showed that Yanneris was scheduled to attend a status conference at Lizama’s courtroom in the afternoon Monday. Before noontime, he allegedly instructed the woman to perform black magic tricks on the judge’s seat while the courtroom was empty.

The Department of Public Safety’s crime scene probers responded Monday to the courthouse regarding the case. Crime scene investigator Joey M. Benavente went to the Marshal’s office, where he took photos of the stained microphone, desk calendar and seat cushion.

It was not immediately clear as to the charges would be filed against the woman and if she is still being detained by police. DPS merely said they would release more information on the matter today.