Trial dates have been set in two cases filed last year when three men were charged with criminal trespass at Mesquite Elementary School during an incident livestreamed as the men confronted the principal for ordering a student be quarantined.
Frank Tainatongo has been ordered to stand trial May 9 at Tucson City Court. He is seen in video displaying zip ties as he stands near the door of Principal Diane Vargo’s office on Sept. 2, 2001 as two other men challenge Vargo’s authority to keep the son of Rishi “Reese” Rambaran out of class.
Zip ties are a common law enforcement tool used to restrain people in lieu of handcuffs.
Tainatongo’s trial will be conducted by Magistrate J. Klotz without a jury. Klotz has also ordered co-defendant Kelly John Walker to stand trial June 20, while Rambaran has a June 28 review hearing scheduled in his case.
All three defendants are represented by defense attorney Christopher Scippeli.
Public records show Tainatongo and Walker went to Mesquite Elementary, a K-5 school in the Vail Unified School District, to show support for Rambaran, whose son reportedly missed an out-of-town field trip after allegedly coming in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.
Walker’s livestream of the incident shows Rambaran already inside Vargo’s office when Walker and Tainatongo walk in. At one point Rambaran tells Vargo that school officials “will not” quarantine his son.
As Walker also lectures the principal, Tainatongo stands by the doorway, openly displaying the zip-ties. One of the men is also recorded as stating they will “make an arrest” if the Tucson Police Department refuses to do so.
However, Rambaran leaves Vargo’s office several minutes later after being provided a letter of explanation he requested. All three men departed school property by the time TPD officers responded.
One thing the upcoming trials will reveal is whether Rambaran had advance knowledge that Walker called on the public to come to Mesquite Elementary to confront officials with him.
In addition, the trials will provide new information on why Tainatongo brought zip-ties with him and whether the men had discussed a plan to restrain Vargo.
MORE ABOUT THE CHARGES HERE
