People v. Doran

Superior Court of Guam·Decided September 5, 2024·No. CF0551-24·Unknown

Opinion

FI LLED

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1 CLERK GF OF COURT 202!¢SEP -s PHH I:| : II I 2 202~SEP-5 3 supERlo~R SUPERIOR COURT COURT 4 OFGUAM.?"L...

GUAM Q 5

6 IN THE SUPERIOR COURT COURT OF OF GUAM GUAM 7

8 PEOPLE OF GUAM, GUAM, CRIMINAL CRIMINALCASE CASENO.

NO.CF0551-24 CF0551-24 9

vs.

10 DECISION DECISION AND ORDER II 11 CAMERON DORAN, 12

Defendant.

13

14 INTRODUCTION 15 This matter is before before the the Honorable Honorable Vernon Vemon P. Perez Perez for forthe the limited limitedpurpose purpose of ofaddressing addressing 16 the People of the People of Guam's Guam's ("the ("theGovemlnent")

Government")Statement StatementofofObi section 77 GCA Objection GCA §§ 6107 6107 and Motion to and Motion to 17 Disqualify filed filed August August 23, 23, 2024.

2024.

18 I BACKGROUND 19 On August 12, 12, 2024, Defendant Cameron 2024, Defendant CameronDoran Doran("Defendant")

("Defendant") was indicted with one 20 count of Felony). 1 (Indictment, of Aggravated Assault (As a Third Degree Felony).1 (Indictment, Aug.

Aug. 12, 12, 2024).

21 On August 22, 22, 2024, 2024,this thismatter matterwas wasassigned assignedtotoJudge Judge AlbertoE.E.Tolentino.

Alberto Tolentino. See SeeNotice Notice 22 of ofJudge Judge Assignment, Aug. 22, 22, 2024.

2024.

23 On On August August 23, 2024, the 23, 2024, theGovernment Governmentfiled filed aa Statement Statementof of Objection Objection 77 GCA GCA §§6107 6107 and and 24 Motion Motion to Disqualify ("Objection"), ("Objection"), moving moving for forJudge Judge Tolentino's Tolentino's recusal recusal in this matter. The this matter.

25 Government moves for Government moves for Judge Tolentino's recusal Judge Tolentino's pursuantoto77G.C.A.

recusal pursuant G.C.A. §§ 6105(a)

6l05(a) because of because of 26

27 l1 On August August 27, 27, 2024, 2024, at Arraignment, Defendant Defendant entered entered aa plea plea of of not not guilty guilty and and waived waived his his right right to a speedy trial.

28 (Minute Entry, Aug. 27, 2024).

v. Doran People v. Case No.

No. CF0551-24 cF0551-24 Decision Decision and and Order

Page Page 1 1 of of7 1 Judge Tolentino's Judge Tolentino's familial familial relationship with Attorney relationship with Attorney General General Douglas Douglas B. Molyan. 2 B. Molyan.2 See

2 generally, generally, Objection, Aug.

Aug. 23, 23, 2024.

2024.

3 On August August 28, 28, 2024, 2024, Judge Tolentino filed Judge Tolentino tiled his Answer to to Statement Statement of of Objection, Objection, 4 challenging challenging the timeliness of of the the objection objection and and denying denying that that his his recusal recusal is is appropriate appropriate in in this this 5 matter.

matter. See See generally, generally, Answer, Aug.

Aug. 28, 28, 2024.

2024.

6 On On August August 29, 29, 2024, 2024, pursuant pursuant toto 77 G.C.A.

G.C.A. §§ 6107, 6107, the the question question of ofwhether whether Judge Judge 7 Tolentino should should be disqualified from continuing continuing to preside preside over over this this mater mater came before this this 8 recusal court. See Notice recusal court. Notice of ofAssignment Assignment of ofRecusal RecusalJudge, Judge, Aug.

Aug. 29, 29, 2024.

2024.

9 DISCUSSION

10 Title 77 G.C.A.

Title G.C.A.section section6105 6105sets setsforth forththe thesubstantive substantivegrounds grounds under under which which aa judge judge must must 11 II be disqualified.

disqualified. Where Where aa judge fails fails to disqualify disqualify him him or or herself, herself, any any party party to to that proceeding may 12 move move to to disqualify disqualify the the judge judge pursuant to77G.C.A.

pursuant to G.C.A. §§ 6107.

6107.

13 13 A. Statement Statement of of Objection 14 14 The Government moves to disqualify Government moves disqualify Judge Judge Tolentino Tolentino in m this this matter matter based based on the the 15 15 following following grounds:

grounds:

16 • • That from 2014 2014 to to 2022, 2022, Judge Judge Tolentino disqualified disqualified himself himself from from cases cases involving Attorney Attorney General General Moylan Moylan as as aa private private attorney attorney on on the the basis basis of the 17 familial relationship relationship that that exists between between them, them;

18 • • That Judge That Judge Tolentino Tolentino stated stated that that disqualification disqualification was was necessary necessary because because 19 Attorney General General Moylan Moylan is is the the father of ofhis his step-children, step-children;

20 20 JudgeTolentino's Tolentino's last Form One-Disqualification One-Disqualification in • • That Judge in this regard was was filed filed 21 on October October 27, 2022, 2022;

22 • the basis That the basisfor for Judge JudgeTolentino's Tolentino's prior prior disqualifications disqualifications hasn't changed, changed;

23 23 • That aa reasonable reasonable person person would presume presume that that Judge Judge Tolentino's Tolentino's personal personal relationship with Attorney General relationship with General Moylan Moylan and his prior years and his prior years disqualifying 24

25

2 2 26 Attached to the Government's Government's Statement Statement of Objection are several several exhibits, including including aa Decision Decision and and Order issued by Judge Elyze M.

Judge Blyze M. Iriarte Iriarteon on June June 4, 2024 in People v.v. Taitingfong, Taitingfong, Criminal CriminalCase Case No. CF0024-24, CF0024-24, and and several several Form 27 One One -- Disqualification Disqualification 77GCA GCA§ §6106 6106memorandums memorandumsissued issuedby byJudge JudgeTolentino Tolentinorecursing recusing himself himself from from cases cases involving involving Attorney AttorneyGeneral General Moylan Moylanwhen whenhe hewas wasininprivate privatepractice practicebased based on on section section 6105(a)

6105(a) up until October 27, 27, 28 2022. 2022.

People v.

v. Doran Case No.

No. CF0551-24 CF055l-24 Decision Decision and and Order

Page Page 2 of of7 himself himself from any any matters involving AG matters involving AG Moylan Moylan would would raise raise aareasonable reasonable 1 question about his impartiality about his impartiality and and necessitate necessitatehis his disqualification;

disqualification, 2 • • That Judge Tolentino has Judge Tolentino has been disqualified from presiding presiding over over other other cases cases 3 based on the the above facts, facts; and 4 • • ThatSan San Agustin v. v. v.

v. Superior Cr.

Ct. of ofGuam, Guam, 2024 Guam 2, 2, required the the Clerk 5 of o~ Court Court toto refrain refrain from from assigning assigning cases cases to to Judge Judge Tolentino Tolentino once once he he was was disqualified. disqualified.

6 See Objection, Aug.

Aug. 23, 23, 2024.

2024.

7 In In his answer, JudgeTolentino answer, Judge Tolentino sets sets forth forth under underpenalty penaltyof of perjury perjurythe thefollowing following relevant 8 facts:2 facts 9 Moylan'srequest, 6. That at Mr. Moylan's request, aa meeting meetingbetween betweenhim himandand the the undersigned, undersigned, the 10 undersigned's chamber undersigned's chamberstaff, staff, the Administratorof the Administrator of the the Courts, Courts, and andMr.

Mr. Moylan's Moylan's II 11 transition chairperson, chairperson,Mr.

Mr.Wilfred Wilfred Aflague, occurred in Aflague, occurred in December December 2022, 2022;

12 12 7. That 7. That atat this this meeting, meeting, Mr.Mr. Moylan Moylan assured assured me me and and the the other other members members in m attendance that attendance thatheheperceived perceivedno noconflict conflict in his election as the election as the Attorney General General andand 13 1 the the prosecution prosecution of of criminal cases before criminal cases before the undersigned.

undersigned. It It was was agreed agreed that that the 14 14 circumstances underlying my circumstances underlying my recusal recusal in in matters mattersthat thatMr.

Mr.Moylan Moylan was a lawyer no longer longer existed, existed, toto wit:

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