Thursday, March 28, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Thursday, April 2, 2009
Senate Judiciary Committee to hear Karen's Law
By Karen Ann Hunt @ 8:02 PM :: 6864 Views :: Maui County, Energy, Environment

by Karen Ann Hunt

Karen’s Law is scheduled for a hearing before the Judiciary and Government Operations Committee this Monday April 6 at 10:00am in conference room 016. Chair Brian Taniguchi has decided to hear the bill thanks to your support!!!!

Karen’s Law will face its toughest opposition in the Senate Judiciary Committee. We will need all of your support and help in making sure this bill gets passed. If you haven’t already submitted your personal testimony on behalf of this legislation, please do so. The email address is JGOtestimony@capiotl.hawaii.gov . Also, please cc the rest of the senate at sens@capitol.hawaii.gov . If you are able to come in and testify in person on behalf of this measure, we would greatly appreciate it.

"Karen's Law," HB819HD2, has come a long way this legislative session after it was killed last year in the House Judiciary Committee by former Chair, Tommy Waters. HB819HD2, introduced by Representative Pine and Representative Mizuno, would mandate that juveniles, 15-17 years of age charged with first or second degree murder, be automatically tried as an adult. "Karen's Law," HB819HD2, would save the taxpayers' money in facing this financial deficit by cutting court proceedings down from two to one.

As the law currently stands, juvenile crime offenders, charged with 1st or 2nd degree murder can face two trials, one to determine which court to try them in and then another trial to decide guilt or innocence. Representative Jon Riki Karamatsu, a primary introducer of the bill explained: "The path to justice is never an easy one.  In cases like Karen Ertell’s, we find ourselves trying to achieve that very delicate balance of making sure that adolescents are treated appropriately, while seeking justice for the victim and their families.  It is our job as lawmakers to ensure that we enact well thought-out laws that serve in the best interest of our residents."

On May 25, 2007, Karen Ertell was brutally raped and murdered in her home in Ewa Beach.  Karen Ertell was the only real mother that her foster daughter, Melanie McLellan had ever known. Melanie describes Karen Ertell as a giving, loving person who saw the best in people, and who was a vibrant woman whose life was very full.  Karen owned her own business – Koko Crater Coffee Roasters and was expecting her first grandchild.  Melanie was nine months pregnant with Karen's grandson.  Her senseless murder also left behind her loving partner – Kevin Callahan, her heart-broken mother and family, and hundreds of friends and business associates.

 

Please call Representative Kymberly Pine or Chief of Staff for Representative Kymberly Pine, Sarah Hunt, at 586-9730 for further questions.

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

808 Silent Majority

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federalist Society

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Homeschool Association

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Smokers Alliance

Hawaii State Data Lab

Hawaii Together

HIEC.Coop

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Moms for Liberty

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

Investigative Project on Terrorism

July 4 in Hawaii

Kakaako Cares

Keep Hawaii's Heroes

Land and Power in Hawaii

Legislative Committee Analysis Tool

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

Malama Pregnancy Center of Maui

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Military Home Educators' Network Oahu

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Christian Foundation Hawaii

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

No GMO Means No Aloha

Not Dead Yet, Hawaii

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Oahu Alternative Transport

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

OurFutureHawaii.com

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

PEACE Hawaii

People vs Machine

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

P.U.E.O.

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

ReRoute the Rail

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

Robotics Organizing Committee

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Sink the Jones Act

Statehood for Guam

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

UCC Truths

US Tax Foundation Hawaii Info

VAREP Honolulu

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii

Yes2TMT