Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 04/14/06

Contact person(s):

Media Coordinator, Donna Edwards - 565-3099 Media Spokesperson, Assistant District Attorney Larry Scoufos

Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California

DEFENDANTS IN RUGBY CASE ADMIT GUILT

District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua announced today that two of three defendants charged in attacks on a rugby official and coach during a rugby match in Rohnert Park on May 14, 2005 have pled no contest to assault charges. Superior Court Judge Cerena Wong thereafter found them guilty of the offenses.

Watson Lavulo was found guilty of felony assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury. He attacked the coach of an Alameda team when the coach attempted to assist a match official who had been attacked by codefendant Sione Palu. Lavulo faces a maximum term of four years in state prison. Judge Wong indicated that she would not immediately impose a prison term when he appeared for sentencing in her courtroom on June 12, 2006.

Sione Palu was found guilty of a misdemeanor battery against a sports official and one count of simple battery. He could receive up to one and-a-half years in county jail for those offenses. He also will be sentenced by Judge Wong on June 12th.

District Attorney Passalacqua stated, "There is simply no tolerance for violent acts being committed by members of any segment of our society, including spectators at sporting events such as rugby."

The charges against Epalahame Palu, a third defendant, were dismissed. He claimed that he believed Sione Palu was being attacked by the Alameda coach and he was merely attempting to defend his relative.

Deputy District Attorney Daniel Carr was the assigned prosecutor on the case.