Retired cop's lawyer wants judge removed

In court today, Chief Judge Frances Tydingco Gatewood said it's not often she gets motions of recusal. And it's not often an attorney makes motions to have a judge recused.

But that's at issue in the case of a retired cop John "Boom" Mantanona accused of jury tampering and more. His attorney Jay Arriola made the request while prosecuting attorney Roselle San Nicolas responded.

"This is an unusual case, lets put it that way," Arriola told KUAM News. "As I argued to the court its not your typical case where we are asking for a recusal for certain reasons. This is an obstruction of justice case. The rules says when you are a witness to underline disputed evidence or facts then there is a biased that you know about the fact and so this really involves a case of alleged jury obstruction and jury tampering in a jury trial that incurred in front of her."

Mantanona is facing a federal drug charge and is also charged for allegedly intimidating jurors in the drug case of Raymond Martinez and Juanita Moser.

The court decided to submit a written decision tomorrow morning at 9 a.m.