Biggest Budget Increase Ever: The good, bad and ‘mostly ugly’ at 2023 Legislature
Anti-Gun Gay Rights Lawyer to be Next Solicitor General
Hawaii DoE Legislative Wrap-up
Promise and peril for Hawaiʻi’s economy, UHERO forecasts
Governor calls freshman senator’s controversial comments an ‘abomination’
HNN: … What began as controversial comments at a neighborhood board meeting has led to fierce reaction at the highest level.
Gov. Josh Green is calling the statements of a freshman senator at a recent public meeting an “abomination.”
The comments in question were from state Sen. Brenton Awa toward revered Hawaiian cultural leader, Leialoha Rocky Kaluhiwa. They were made during a virtual Kahaluu neighborhood board meeting in March. (LINK: VIDEO.)
“If we are talking Hawaiians, you would have been hung for not supporting a Hawaiian,” Awa told Kaluhiwa.
A constituent who was not at the meeting made complaints to the Governor’s Office and state Senate.
On HNN’s Sunrise on Friday morning, Green said he will deal with any complaint “forcefully.”
“There is no place for violence against any individual in our state, but the threat of violence from an elected official gives me great pause,” said Green.
“I hope he will apologize. I hope he will actually have real contrition, but that was an abomination,” he added….
Background: Lawmaker won’t apologize after saying Hawaiian leader ‘would have been hung’ for criticizing him
Background: Newly elected state senator hires Eddie Rothman’s son Makua Rothman, hint, hint
2014: Interview: Drug Dealing N. Shore Anti-GMO Leader Has 'Penchant for Violence'
read … Governor calls freshman senator’s controversial comments an ‘abomination’
Above the Law: State Official indicted for multiple counts of sex assault of a minor, released
KITV: …A 36-year-old man who was indicted for allegedly sexually assaulting a girl is now free.
(Editor’s Note: 2 kids according to indictment)
Sonny Kekipi was released on his own recognizance last night.
That means he did not need to post bail, but promised to make it to his scheduled court date on May 15.
HPD records show officers arrested Kekipi in the Moanalua area on Thursday, May 11 for seven counts of sexual assault.
He is accused of assaulting a girl under the age of 14, who lived with him.
The alleged assaults happened between 2013 and 2017.
Kekipi's bail is set at $500,000….
PDF: Indictment
PDF: Police Blotter
LI: Sonny Kekipi -- Technical Analyst, Office of Enterprise Technology Services--Private Secretary for Director of Hawaii Department of Labor-- Private Secretary II for Deputy Director Hawaii Department of Taxation--Co-Owner EIN Credit Pro, LLC
BREG: EIN Credit Pro, LLC co-owned by ASC Enterprises, LLC (Sonny Kekipi)
BREG: ALLEGIANCE LENDING GROUP, LLC (Sonny Kekipi at arrest address.)
read … Oahu man indicted for multiple counts of sex assault of a minor, released
Above the Law: No Punishment for Alleged Rapist Football Players
HNN: … The attorneys for former Saint Louis School football star Jayden de Laura have issued a statement regarding the civil court case involving sex assault allegations from 2018.
The statement was sent to media outlets in Arizona earlier this week and provided to Hawaii News Now on Friday morning after we requested a copy.
(Michael Miske’s lawyer) Tommy Otake, de Laura’s juvenile case attorney, and Philip Miyoshi, the player’s civil attorney, said “certain media outlets” have reported “inaccurate” information and “have inflicted unnecessary duress and reputational harm to numbers individuals and entities.”…
The statement goes on to say “reports that Jayden pled guilty and was convicted of sexual assault are not accurate.”
Multiple versions of the civil lawsuit allege that de Laura and former St. Louis School teammate Kamoi Latu did plead guilty to accusations from a then, 16-year old girl, who said the boys forced her to perform sex acts and choked her in an assault in the school’s parking garage stairwell.
The documents filed in the civil case in December 2021 specifically said the players “were charged with and eventually pled guilty to sex assault 2″.
The same language was repeated in the first amended complaint filed in August 2022. And again in a second amended complaint in November 2022. The same line was also in the third amended complaint from March of this year.
It was included in a pre-trial statement filed with the court earlier this this month that also said a settlement was reached between the boys and the victim.
Juvenile court records are sealed so Hawaii News Now could not independently view the language used in those proceedings but legal experts, who were not involved with this case, say the terms are different from adult criminal cases.
“A juvenile is never convicted, or found guilty. Instead, they are adjudicated,” said Victor Bakke, a former deputy prosecutor turned defense attorney, who has handled multiple juvenile cases.
“And they don’t enter a plea of guilty, they either admit or they deny, but at the end of the day, it ends up at the same place,” Bakke said the juvenile case ends in either adjudication, which means the teen was found responsible for the alleged acts, or ends with the petition being dismissed….
The University of Arizona said in a statement that de Laura did not violate any school policies and remains part of the team.
The University of Wisconsin provided a similar statement regarding Latu.
read … Attorneys for quarterback Jayden de Laura break silence on settlement stemming from sex assault allegations
Feds Handle Case: Gay Socialist Hawaii teacher expected to plead guilty to distributing child porn
HNN: … Alden Bunag was initially charged with possessing child pornography, but is expected to plead guilty to the more serious charge of distributing child pornography.
Legal experts said Bunag will likely be behind bars for a long time.
“He’s looking at a mandatory 15 years,” said Breiner.
“It’s a very significant sentence and it sends a message clearly that no one would endorse this kind of behavior.”
Bunag, a Waipahu resident, was a part-time temporary teacher at Pearl City High and also worked at Ilima Intermediate.
Although he was charged with producing and possessing child pornography, federal authorities alleged that Bunag had sex with a 13-year-old boy during school lunch breaks.
They also alleged that he exchanged videos of sex acts with children with another teacher from Philadelphia, who was also charged with distributing child pornography….
Bunag also faces state charges of sexually assaulting a minor, which is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Breiner said a plea deal in that case is also likely.
“Regarding the state offense, my understanding is that will also most likely result in a plea of 20 years, which will run concurrent with his federal sentence,” said Breiner….
read … Former Hawaii teacher expected to plead guilty to distributing child porn
In about-face, state agrees to pay women’s prison sex assault victims $2M in settlement
HNN: … “This settlement recognizes that these women were victims while in the State’s custody and that they should receive a measure of justice for the harm the ACOs caused them.”
The ACOs were all fired and several were convicted on sex assault charges.
In the deal, the state also agreed to install cameras in problem spots to prevent future attacks against inmates.
“The state agreed to make the women’s prison a priority and make all efforts to get cameras into women’s prison by the close of this year,” said Terry Revere, an attorney for the women….
SA: State to pay $2M to settle sex assault lawsuit at women’s prison
read … In about-face, state agrees to pay women’s prison sex assault victims $2M in settlement
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