Lawyer unsure if Kaiser football parent will appeal

Defendant Gregory Tartamella took the stand in the courtroom of Judge Faauuga Tootoo during his trial. Photo by George F. Lee/Star-Advertiser.

Kaiser football parent Gregory Tartamella‘s lawyer does not know if they will be appealing last Friday’s guilty verdicts in a Circuit Court jury trial.

Tartamella will be sentenced May 8 after he was found guilty of second-degree assault, two counts of harassment, and first-degree terroristic threatening.

Eric Seitz, his attorney, wants to wait until after sentencing before making a decision on a possible appeal.


“If he gets probation — and that’s what we’re hoping for — I would recommend for that to be the end of it,” Seitz said Friday, one week after the verdicts.

Tartamella, 42, is facing up to five years in prison for each of the assault and threatening charges, which are felonies, and a total of 60 days for the harassment.


“He has always accepted responsibility and he is very remorseful,” said Seitz, who added that Tartamella has no prior record.

Tartamella was on trial on charges of assaulting and harassing then-football coach Arnold Martinez, harassing security guard Nick Hironaka and threatening vice principal Kevin Dias at the school in September 2017. Part of that incident was recorded on a cellphone video and shown on social media. In that video, Tartamella is seen threatening Martinez.


Martinez did not return a call for comment, and the Department of Education communications department declined comment.

Soon after that incident, Kaiser forfeited the rest of its season due to not having enough players to safely field a team. Martinez later resigned.

COMMENTS

  1. Coach C March 21, 2019 6:51 pm

    Dude should dress conservative when testifying in court. Especially as a defendant. He looks Alt.Right with that dark uniform type get up. Martinez is a good coach.


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