Previous Story
Ex-lawmaker Juan I. Tenorio pleads not guilty
Former lawmaker Juan Iguel Tenorio pleaded not guilty on Monday to the charges that he assaulted a male teenage driver in Marpi.
At his arraignment in Superior Court, the 65-year-old Tenorio, through assistant public defender Michael Sato, waived the reading of the charges and waived advisement of his constitutional rights.
Tenorio pleaded not guilty to the information charging him with assault and battery and disturbing the peace.
Presiding Judge Robert C. Naraja set a status conference for June 2, 2015, at 1:30pm.
Assistant attorney general Chester Hinds appeared for the government at the hearing.
According to the charging information, Tenorio punched the teenager in the face and screamed profanities at him on April 2, 2015, on Saipan.
Police detective Jesus K. Wabol stated in his report that a responding police officer learned that the 19-year-old male and his two female friends were followed by Tenorio from the former La Fiesta Mall in San Roque to the parking lot of Marianas Trekking, where the assault happened.
The officer said the victim suffered a one-inch laceration on his nose. One female passenger of the car was crying in fear because Tenorio approached them.
The teenager told police that he was driving his car with two passengers heading to the Grotto when a white car, which was heading in the same direction, passed them out and cut in front of his vehicle at a close distance.
The female passenger got upset and flicked off Tenorio, who was the driver of the white car. The former lawmaker then followed them to the Marianas Trekking parking lot, where he got down.
Tenorio allegedly tried to attack one of the female passengers, but the teenage driver tried to stop him. Tenorio allegedly punched the teenager in the face and tried to attack the female passenger again. As the teenager tried to stop Tenorio again, the former lawmaker punched him in the nose, causing it to bleed.
According to the police report, Tenorio also attempted to punch a local witness who tried to stop him.
When the incident occurred, Tenorio was the human resources manager for Grandvrio Resort, the former Hafadai Beach Hotel.
