Case Study Of Samisoni Taukitoku Incident In The State Of Nevada

Legal Background In the state of Nevada, battery is constituted by “any willful and unlawful use of force or violence upon the person of another.” This definition is based on the Nevada Revised Statutes, Chapter 200 Section 481. Its purpose is to create a basis for prosecuting individuals involved in criminal suits. In other words, if the individual is found guilty of battery, then the statute similarly prescribes recommended consequences that correspond to the nature of their conduct. Though Samisoni Taukitoku was primarily guilty for assault with a deadly weapon and attempted murder, a number of instances of battery played a key role in escalating the conflict that played out at the party. Battery Instance 1: Tyrone Hanson As reported in a detailed account of the incident published by the Nevada Supreme Court, the first act to incite hostility and violence took place when Taukitoku and his Pacific Islander friends arrived at the party. One of Taukitoku’s friends “bumped” a UNR basketball player, Tyrone Hanson, “hard.” Another Pacific Islander threw a beer can at Hanson. They also proceeded to trample and kick Hanson. Taukitoku made his battery debut when he also kicked Hanson. Taukitoku chose to personally involve

pointing his gun at Hanson and two other partygoers, Jacob Snyder, the owner of the house where the party took place, asked Taukitoku to leave. In response, Taukitoku fired his gun through a porch glass. Meanwhile, a separate Pacific Islander punched Snyder, inciting another account of battery. Based on the tension that was arising, Snyder hit Taukitoku with a shovel, constituting another account of battery. Once Snyder Jensen hit Taukitoku in the head with a shovel, it could have been presented to the court that he had used his gun as self-defense. This would be easily dismissed by the court however, considering that Taukitoku had pulled out the gun, assaulted others, and fired the device