ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – The public defender for a South African man prosecutors say stabbed multiple people on a cruise ship headed to Juneau early Monday morning said he planned to file a written motion about his client’s mental health during an Anchorage federal court hearing Thursday.
Federal Public Defender Ben Muse appeared on the phone with the suspect, 35-year-old Ntando Sogoni, saying the South African national has no ties to Alaska or the United States. Charging documents say Sogoni was employed on the Norwegian Cruise Lines ship Encore at the time of the stabbing, approximately 16.5 miles from Vancouver Island, off the southwest Canadian coast.
Federal Magistrate Judge Matthew Scoble called the evidence against Sogoni strong, saying the violent attacks appeared to be unprovoked, as he expressed concern for both Sogoni’s mental health and the community’s safety.
According to a criminal complaint, Sogoni was observed by other staff attempting to launch one of the ship’s lifeboats.
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