Newswatch

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Friday, April 26, 1996

Suspects in Chicago cop beating plead not guilty

A Chicago police officer severely beaten and robbed on Oahu's North Shore has agreed to testify, if needed, at next Tuesday's preliminary hearing for two men accused of attacking him.

North Shore residents Darrell Ortiz, 22, and Rodney Balbirona, 18, today pleaded not guilty in District Court to first-degree robbery charges.

A 13-year-old boy, also charged, was released to his parents.

James M. Boreczky, 33, was waiting for a bus about 12:30 a.m. Monday on Kamehameha Highway near Sunset Beach when he was beaten and robbed.

Slain teen was no stranger to violence

Rose Street in Kalihi is somehow cheerful and homey despite the graffiti up the block, the young toughs walking - in groups of four and five - and the remnants of blood across from the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Wednesday night, 16-year-old Sina Isaako died here, allegedly punched and knocked to the ground by a 14-year-old boy during an altercation.

Isaako was no stranger to violence.

In an interview with KHON-TV two weeks ago, she provided chilling insight into teen-age gang life on Honolulu's streets.

"I have fun," she said. "Drink. Look for static. Whatever we can do ... look for trouble. Ever since I was young, I wanted to be in a gang."

UH pushes panic button on housing

The University of Hawaii Board of Regents today unanimously amended its housing policy to allow 1,500 UH civil service employees to buy into an exclusive faculty housing project that has sold just eight units since October 1994.

If the university can't sell the remaining 28 units of its Kau`iokahaloa Iki condominiums in Manoa Valley by June 28, it will default on its repayment of a $7.6 million loan from the Housing Finance and Development Corp.

The agency, in turn, would likely take title to all unsold units and sell them to the public, thereby ending the university's plans to offer faculty a chance to own a home in a project for UH employees within walking distance of the Manoa campus.

The university next month will seek approval from the agency to extend its repayment date from June 28 to Dec. 31 of this year.

For expanded versions of these and other stories, see today's Honolulu Star-Bulletin.

Police/Fire

By Star-Bulletin staff

Stabbing victim in serious condition

A 20-year-old man underwent surgery early today and was in serious condition after he was stabbed by an assailant in a parking garage on Keeaumoku Street, police said.

He suffered a "pretty bad slash" in his lower back, said police Lt. Bill Kato. Police are looking for the attacker - a man who fled in a dark-colored Jaguar driven by another man.

The victim was with a group of friends standing in the parking lot when the car allegedly pulled up and asked the group if there was someone among them named "Steve."

When the men told them "no," the car drove off, then returned. A man in the passenger seat got out and confronted the victim, who fled. The man chased him to a nearby garage at 641 Keeaumoku St. and stabbed him, police said. The assailant returned to the Jaguar and left.

Man charged in thefts of paintings

Police yesterday charged a 37-year-old man with burglarizing the Diamond Head home of his former employer.

David Berliner, who worked as a handyman for former Oahu Circuit Judge John E. Parks, is accused of stealing more than 30 original paintings, a Roman helmet and body armor, and a 1988 Jaguar from Parks' home at 2915 Coconut Ave. while Parks was away on a monthlong mainland vacation.

Bail for Berliner is $60,000.

Other Police/Fire headlines:

- No leads in Big Isle beating death
- Body of missing Ewa man is found
- Two teens saved at `Spitting Caves'

(See expanded versions in today's Honolulu Star-Bulletin)