Officer acquitted in trial is under review by HPD

Despite being acquitted of a misdemeanor assault charge by a Circuit Court jury in March, a 29-year-old police officer must still undergo an internal review, which would determine whether he violated the department’s standards of conduct, before his police powers can be reinstated, police said Monday night.

Siave Seti Jr. was acquitted by a Circuit Court jury of third-degree assault March 4.

However, Seti can’t be reinstated until the department completes its internal administrative review and he is cleared to return to full duty, police said.

Seti, who has been on the police force for two years, was placed on restricted duty after he was charged with assault July 2. He is assigned to the central district receiving desk.

The misdemeanor offense, punishable by a maximum jail sentence of one year and a $2,000 fine, is normally handled by a District Court judge.

However, Seti, at his District Court arraignment July 31, requested a jury trial, and the case was turned over to Circuit Judge Christine Kuriyama.

Seti allegedly injured a 25-year-old man by throwing him to the ground Feb. 24, 2015, in Palolo Valley.

The incident was recorded on cellphone video taken by a friend of the victim.

The criminal case was handled by the attorney general’s office.