Sua wanted
to kill a cop,
prosecutor says

The man holding two
knives yelled to get police
to shoot him, his
attorney says

By Susan Kreifels
Star-Bulletin

The defense today said Robert Sua, holding a knife in each hand, fell onto a policeman after he was shot and had no intention of killing police officer Danny Thornton. Sua only wanted to die.

But the prosecution says Sua wanted to kill a cop and is guilty of attempted murder.

"He definitely intended to go out in a blaze of glory and a police officer would go out with him," said deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jean Ireton.

Attorneys gave opening arguments today before Circuit Judge Dexter Del Rosario.

Sua, 20, is charged with terroristic threatening of five police officers, and attempted murder in the first-degree. He faces life in prison without parole if convicted of the charges.

Deputy Public Defender David Hayakawa said there was no doubt Sua was guilty of terrorist threatening on Feb. 6, 1997, outside his Waipahu home. He had argued with neighbors through the day and drank heavily.

When police arrived, Sua armed himself with two knives and egged on police to shoot him.

Hayakawa said Sua was planning to commit suicide on his birthday a few days later but incidents in the neighborhood that day triggered a death wish.

Ireton said Sua constantly yelled, "I'm going to take me out a cop."

But that was only to get police to shoot him, Hayakawa said. Sua often yelled "Shoot me, I'm ready to go," Hayakawa said.

After Thornton had fallen and shot Sua, who was coming toward him with the two knives, Officer Eli Walters said Sua swung his arm around to stab Thornton before another officer took the knife away, Hayakawa said. He said no other officer saw the alleged attempt.