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Federal jury trial of ex-estate administrator Pelisamen starts
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Posted on Apr 27 2009
The jury trial of Luis Kaipat Pelisamen, a former estate administrator who is facing charges of wire fraud and money laundering, began yesterday in federal court.
U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Alex R. Munson completed the jury selection in the morning; the prosecution and the defense lawyers opened arguments in the afternoon.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Schuler conducted the opening arguments for the U.S. government, while defense attorney Douglas Cushnie did the opening arguments for Pelisamen.
The prosecution first called to the witness stand former Superior Court associate judge Timothy Bellas. After Bellas, the prosecution called former Superior Court associate judge Juan T. Lizama.
After Lizama completed his testimony, Munson excused the jurors. The trial will continue today.
Pelisamen used to be the administrator of the Kaipat estate. Arriola served as Pelisamen’s counsel in that probate.
Then Superior Court Associate Judge Lizama kicked out both Pelisamen and Arriola from the estate after finding that some money in the estate were missing.
According to the indictment, Arriola and Pelisamen transferred funds belonging to the Kaipat estate from the Bank of Guam to the Bank of Hawaii on Nov. 28, 2005, thereby causing communications by wire between Saipan and Hawaii.
