FLORENCE, Arizona — A Hawaiian prison inmate facing the death penalty in Arizona is a talented artist who suffered a highly traumatic childhood, including an accident in which he suffered severe burns, according to his attorney Tuesday. It was explained that there is

Defense attorney Jack Earley also told a jury in Arizona that convicted murderer Mitty Maugaotega Jr. was being groomed to lead a Samoan clan. He remains an important figure in life, advising young families to avoid his mistakes and avoid going to prison.

“He’s not perfect. He’s not a saint. He lives where he is. I’m not making excuses for him,” Early said. “But to him, there are human values. It’s out there, it’s strong, and I’m going to ask you to let him live.”

Mauga Otega, 37, convicted of first-degree murder Last month, on February 18, 2010, inmate Bronson Nunuha was murdered in Arizona State Penitentiary. A 12-member jury will decide whether Mauga Otega should be sentenced to life in prison without parole or the death penalty.

Pinal County Deputy Attorney Patrick Johnson described Maugaotega as “people’s worst nightmare” and painted a picture of Maugaotega that differed dramatically from the description provided by the defense attorney.

For the jury, Johnson detailed Mauga Otega’s rape of a 57-year-old woman in her Honolulu apartment during a 2003 burglary, and how Mauga Otega was a man in a punch bowl. 45 caliber pistol in the chest. The same year a man came home to find Mauga Otega robbing her property.

“I am not making excuses for him. — Attorney Jack Early

A juror has already heard a harrowing account of the murder of Nunuha, who was dragged from his bunk in a cell at the Saguaro Correctional Center in Eloy, Arizona, and stabbed more than 150 times by Mauga Otega and another inmate. Mauga Otega told police that he carved the initials of the gang on Nunuha’s chest.

“What he did to Bronson Nunuha was exactly who he was and who he was,” Johnson told the jury. For me, it’s just Thursday.”

Johnson also alleged that in 2011 Mauga Otega stabbed two prison officers with a homemade knife or “shin” he made in his cell. In that case criminal charges are pending.

rival gang

Mauga Otega is described by federal officials as the leader of the USO family of prison gangs. explained As the dominant gang in the Hawaiian Correctional System.

But after Mauga Otega was moved to Pinal County Jail and separated from other Hawaiian prisoners, he “transformed” and entered into a partnership with Arizona’s Mexican Mafia, Johnson said. He showed jurors a photo of Mauga Otega’s tattoos, which he said showed Johnson’s more recent gang affiliation.

“The state strongly opposes this defendant’s remorse for what he has done,” Johnson said.

Hawaii houses nearly 1,000 prisoners in its private Saguaro Correctional Facility. These inmates are subject to Arizona law while serving their sentences in Arizona, but Arizona has never sentenced Hawaii inmates to death for crimes committed while in custody.

Hawaii outlawed the death penalty in 1957, but Arizona does. state constitution Specifically, allow execution by lethal injection. The state executed three prisoners last year.

After taking full responsibility for the Nunuha murders in 2010, Maugaotega wrote to former governor Linda Ringle that the prison-operating company, the American Correctional Service (later renamed CoreCivic), accused members of rival gangs of Saguaro. complained that they were housed in the same residential unit of .

He explained that Nunuha belonged to a gang known as the West Side, and warned that the private prison company “will continue to operate the prison as it is now, and the violence will not stop.”

He also apologized in a letter for the murder, saying, “That day it was either me or Bronson Nunuha. What can I do to take away the pain I caused Bronson Nunuha’s family?” No, but I really hope they will forgive me one day, and I am willing to face whatever punishment comes my way because I can’t undo what I did.”

“The State strongly opposes this defendant’s remorse for what he has done.”—Prosecutor Patrick Johnson

Nunuha’s mother, Davina Beltrán, read a letter to jurors at Pinal County Superior Court on Tuesday, describing Nunuha as “a loving son, brother, uncle, father and nephew, cousin, friend, grandson, and in everything. A wonderful man,” he said. He was loved by many and made everyone laugh,” she said. “If he had to, he would take the shirt off his back.”

She said Nunuha used to feed the young children and take care of them to go to school. The news that Nunuha was killed in prison was a shock. “He was my youngest children’s big brother and was ripped from us,” Bertrand said. Her children are still trying to cope with his death.

According to court records, Nunuha was serving the final nine months of a five-year sentence for robbery and vandalism when he was killed.Bertrand said in an interview .

An early account of Maugaotega’s childhood and adolescence in American Samoa and Hawaii was given to the jury, including an accident when Maugaotega was inexplicably doused with gasoline and set on fire when she was four years old. bottom. He suffered his third-degree burns to most of his body and had to endure excruciating treatment for the burns, Early said.

troubled childhood

As a teenager, Mauga Otega later moved to the “gang-infested” Waipahu neighborhood and endured beatings from his upset family when he started getting into trouble. But those positive connections didn’t last long, Early told jurors.

He became involved in the juvenile court system and, at age 17, was convicted of attempted murder in the punchball shooting and 10 felonies, including burglary and sexual assault.

Mauga Otega will not be eligible for conviction parole in Hawaii until 2207, according to the State Department of Public Safety.

Still, Early said he would present evidence to the jury of Mauga Otega’s humanity, saying, “His journey continues and our Creator is not yet with him.”

Johnson told jurors, “Look at him in the coming weeks. Who is he? Who he is is written on his face, and I’m not saying it figuratively.” No. You can see who he is by looking at his face and looking into his eyes.

The last of which was a reference to Mauga Otega’s face tattoo. His right temple reads “Fuck the Law,” Johnson told jurors, and his left temple reads “USO.” there is

“Listen when I tell you who he is,” Johnson said.