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Case’s publicity prompts guilty plea
Citing the publicity generated by the case, Ronald E. Biggers wants to just plead guilty to a parking violation citation.
Steven P. Pixley, who is counsel for Biggers, told the Superior Court last Friday of his client’s intent to plead guilty to the parking offense in Garapan.
Pixley said Biggers, who is also co-owner of the Godfather’s Bar, is also concerned about the continuing use of valuable judicial resources in this case.
With the filing of the notice, Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho gave Biggers until today, Tuesday, to pay the fine of $15 and $10 in court cost and provide a copy of the receipt to the Office of the Attorney General.
If Biggers fails to pay by today, the parties will have to appear tomorrow, Wednesday, at 10:30am at the U.S. District Court for the NMI courthouse.
Camacho suspended his subpoena to the secretary of the Department of Public Works and to the commissioners of the Department of Public Safety and Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services.
The judge also vacated the filing of defendant’s written motion for judgment of acquittal, the opposition and reply to such motion.
Last Wednesday, Camacho ordered the OAG to subpoena the DPW secretary and the DPS and DFEMS commissioners to testify as to the issue of legal authority and regulations to issue citations for parking violations.
Camacho issued the order after Pixley raised the matter of parking violation regulations.
At a bench trial last Wednesday, assistant attorney general Frances Demapan called one witness, DPS police officer Bradford Peter, during which some issues came up regarding the traffic code and regulations.
Camacho found that the issues raised whether there are regulations as to parking violations have far-reaching ramifications beyond Biggers’ case.
Camacho set an evidentiary hearing to hear testimony in order to address the issues related Biggers’ motion for judgment of acquittal.
