Transcript Error Causes Murder Mistrial

An error in a single word in a transcript led to a mistrial Friday in the case of a man accused of killing a university police officer.

Washoe County District Judge Connie Steinheimer granted the motion ending the trial of Siaosi Vanisi after defense lawyers argued that they had based their entire case on the notion that another person had killed Police Sgt. George Sullivan of the University of Nevada, Reno.

They argued that their theory was supported by the erroneous transcript and that to continue the trial would be unfair to the defendant.

In granting the mistrial, Steinheimer ruled that the error was not a deliberate attempt by prosecutors to mislead the defense. She ordered that Vanisi remain in custody and scheduled a hearing Tuesday to set a new trial date.

“One single-syllable word,” Dist. Atty. Dick Gammick said moments after the mistrial was declared and jurors were excused.

The discrepancy stemmed from the transcript of an interview with a witness, Chaitra Hanke, who told detectives that a man named Manoa had told her of a conversation he had with Sateki Taukiuvea, also know as Teki.

According to Gammick, Manoa told Hanke that he was talking on the phone with Teki when Teki said he had to hang up because “Baya” had just committed a “187”--a slang word meaning murder.

Baya is one of Vanisi’s nicknames.

But in the transcript of Hanke’s taped interview with police, the statement was erroneously transcribed to read that Teki had said “I” just did a 187, a copy of the transcript shows.

Defense lawyers argued that they had based Vanisi’s defense on that statement and the suggestion that Taukiuvea had killed Sullivan.

In testimony on Thursday, Taukiuvea said Vanisi admitted to the killing.

“This is bad news and good news,” Gammick said. “The bad news is they did get a mistrial. The good news is he’s still in custody and we get to go again.”

Sullivan’s widow, Carolyn, sobbed softly as the events in court unfolded.

“She’s disappointed we didn’t get it resolved and finished,” Gammick said afterward. “She feels let down. But Carolyn’s a pretty tough lady. She’ll deal with it.”

Sullivan, a 19-year department veteran and father of five, was found dead near his patrol car early in the morning of Jan. 13, 1998. The hatchet killing touched off a manhunt that ended the next day in Salt Lake City, where Vanisi was arrested after a 3 1/2-hour standoff with authorities.

Witnesses during the first days of the trial testified that Vanisi talked about wanting to kill a police officer.

A hatchet and equipment belonging to Sullivan were later found at an apartment Vanisi had visited, authorities said. The officer’s weapon, a .45-caliber Glock handgun, was found at the home where Vanisi was arrested in Utah.

Vanisi, 28, faces a possible death sentence if convicted.