Honolulu Prosecutor Takes over Prosecution of Cult Boat operator
HNN Feb 10, 2016: …"I am relieved that the prosecutor is taking it over. There has been some rumors, there have been some rumors for years that the DLNR has gone easy on regulating activities down there in general," said former state appellate court judge Walter Heen, who is Shim's uncle.
(Point 1--Both the alleged perpetrator and the victim are politically connected--so now justice becomes possible.)
(Point 2—As Chair of Senate Water, Land and Agriculture Committee, alleged cult leader Mike Gabbard oversees the DLNR budget. He doesn’t oversee the Honolulu Prosecutor’s budget.)
Sources say that City Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro is looking at potential negligent homicide charges against the operator of the boat, 41-year-old Sai Hansen of Kailua (who is allegedly a member of the Gabbards' Hare Krishna cult and is a $5000 donor to Tulsi Gabbard's campaign.).
(Suddenly we are no longer talking about a $1000 fine for boating without a license.)
Several witnesses have told Hawaii News Now that they saw Hansen's Zodiac speeding near the coast of Kailua on the day of the accident. According to records provided by city Ocean Safety officials, there were about 225 people in the waters all along Kailua beach about the time the accident occurred.
"I've received reports, several reports, of the activities of an individual down there with an orange zodiac racing up and down the waters," said Heen.
"The people in Kailua that I have heard from are crying out for something to be done to curb the activities of this one individual."
Usually a negligent homicide case involves a drunk driver who ends up killing somebody. But here not alcohol was involved so it's a misdemeanor. The misdemeanor charge is punishable by up to a year in jail.
"In this case, (the penalties) are not strong enough. To me it's an egregious case of mass negligence," said Heen.
Hansen was recently cited for operating a vessel without proof of a safety course card. But that charge will likely be tossed now that the prosecutor's office is is looking at a negligent homicide investigation….
read … Prosecution
Key Pieces of Information:
- Gabbard ties to cult in background as fatal boating accident case goes to prosecutors: "I think the more relevant connection is Tulsi’s father, State Sen. Mike Gabbard who Chairs the Senate Water, Land and Agriculture Committee. IF there was political pressure on DLNR to go soft on enforcing certain regulations, etc. in the area, his committee has the oversight responsibility over DLNR. So his kuleana would be greater than that of Tulsi’s (in this case) but it underscores the scary proposition that the cult members have people in positions of power at both the State and Federal levels of government."
- Mike Gabbard #2 Man in Hare Krishna Cult?: “(Mike and Carol Gabbard) are THE marriage counselors for the cult. Mike speaks for The Master at prayer gatherings. Mike initiates people for The Spiritual Master.” Inside the cult “we never called him ‘Mike’, he was 'Krishna Katha das' and Carol Gabbard was 'Devahuti desi.'”
More Background: