“I don't accept the verdict. Let God be the judge of this matter”
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Tears were aplenty in and outside the Supreme Court late yesterday evening where 19-year-old, Leslie Kohlhase, was found not guilty of four charges against her.
The verdict, delivered by four assessors after less than two hours of deliberation, was greeted by sighs of relief by Kohlhase, her legal team and supporters.
Kohlhase had pleaded not guilty to two charges of manslaughter and two alternative charges of negligent driving causing death.
The crash at Vailoa last year, which led to the charges against her, caused the deaths of Jessie Risale, 22, of Vaimoso and Thesaurus Heather, 20, of Tufuiopa.
Last evening, all four assessors were convinced that she was not the driver of the vehicle that morning. In doing so, they found her not guilty of all the charges.
The verdict followed two days of final submissions by lawyers.
Kohlhase was represented by Lei’ataualesa Daryl Clarke and Unasa Leilani Tamati. They are up against the prosecution team made up of Precious Chang and Leone Su’a
Mailo, of the Attorney General’s Office.
The Chief Justice, his Honour Patu Tiava’asu’e Falefatu Sapolu, presided.
The prosecution claimed that they had proven beyond reasonable doubt that Kohlhase indeed drove the vehicle that crashed and killed the two young men last year.
Further, they argued that it had established quite clearly that the accused drove recklessly, endangering the lives of people in the car.
But Leiataualesa disagreed. He reiterated that Kohlhase did not drive the vehicle when it crashed.
Kohlhase’s lawyer said evidence throughout the past three weeks had proven that her client was not the driver when the crash happened.
In the end, the assessors agreed with Lei’ataualesa.
Chief Justice Patu later dismissed all the charges against the defendant.
Neither Lei’ataua, nor his client or any of her relatives would speak to the media after yesterday’s verdict.
Outside the Court room, however, the mother of the late Thesaurus Schuster Heather, May Heather, was in tears.
“I don't accept the verdict,” she said. “This is really not fair for our families. There is still no justice.”
Ms. Heather said she understood that the assessors could have found the defendant not guilty of some of the charges but to have acquitted her of all the charges was simply unacceptable.
“So I’m very disappointed with the verdict.”
Asked if they would appeal, she said they would have to think about it.
For now though, she said: “Let God be the judge of this matter.”
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