Suit claims police beating, asks damages
A man who suffered a broken jaw in what he says was an unprovoked attack by Honolulu police officers in Waikiki in 1996 has sued the city and former Police Chief Michael Nakamura.Jasson Maafala filed the suit in federal court Friday, alleging officers violated his civil rights, battered him, caused emotional distress and falsely imprisoned him.
He also charged that the city, through Nakamura, was negligent in training and supervising officers.
Maafala asked for general, specific and punitive damages.
In the April 13, 1996, incident, Maafala alleged that he and friends argued with three males, who mistook Maafala and his friends for other men. He said the argument quickly dissipated without injury and that he walked toward the Outrigger West Hotel to spend the night. He said an officer asked him where he was going and ordered him to the ground after he answered.
Maafala said he asked the officer what he had done. He alleged the officer struck him on his thigh with a baton, choked him with the baton, handcuffed and pushed him, causing him to fall face first to the ground.
He said the officer told him to sit on the corner and a second officer grabbed him and beat him over his entire body.
Maafala said he suffered a broken jaw, broken right wrist and a "cauliflower" right ear.
Hawaii Supreme Court suspends lawyer
Attorney Robert P. Goldberg has been suspended from the practice of law by the Hawaii Supreme Court.The suspension followed findings by a hearing committee that Goldberg converted $15,500 of a client's money to his own use. The suspension will continue until further order of the high court.
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Police/Fire
By Star-Bulletin staffSuspect in stabbing held on $100,000 bail
Police yesterday charged a 34-year-old Makaha woman with second-degree murder in the stabbing death of a man Friday.Donna Souza, a.k.a. Lana Sayers, is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail for allegedly stabbing Edwin Kalama, 44, in the neck and back in the 84-900 block of Lahaina Street.
Six held in Kalihi drive-by shooting
Charges are pending against two adults and four juveniles arrested Saturday for a drive-by shooting Friday night in the 2200 block of North King Street in Kalihi.The two adults, ages 21 and 18, are booked for multiple firearm offenses. The four juveniles are being held at the Alder Street detention facility.
Eight shots were fired at four teen-agers, grazing one of them on the arm.
'Boy' Carvalho charged with 15th offense
Alexander "Boy" Carvalho, charged last week with 14 counts of sexual assault and kidnapping involving his girlfriend, was charged over the weekend with second-degree assault for allegedly beating the same woman over a one-month period.The woman, 43, suffered a fractured rib from the repeated beatings, police said.
The 47-year-old Carvalho was convicted of manslaughter in the beating death of his wife but was acquitted in 1996 of beating his girlfriend while on parole.
Prosecutors are seeking a $5,000 cash-only bail for the second-degree assault charge, increasing Carvalho's total bail for the alleged offenses to $575,000.
Waipahu teen charged as juvenile in stabbing
A 16-year-old Waipahu boy was charged as a juvenile Saturday with attempted second-degree murder and assault for the March 29 attack on a man in Ewa Beach.The man, 18, suffered multiple stab wounds to his groin area after being confronted by a group of males while sitting in his car at 2:30 a.m.
In other news . . .
LIHUE -- Marlon Batangan, an 18-year-old Eleele, Kauai, resident drowned Friday afternoon in a mountain stream in the Loop Road area mauka of Wailua Homesteads.
Police said Batangan, who apparently couldn't swim, was attempting to cross the stream at an area known as the swimming hole when he slipped and fell.
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