No jail, no apology
upsets parents of
Mahoe victims

The kumu hula who sexually
abused boy students can still
teach with an adult present

By Susan Kreifels
Star-Bulletin

They're disappointed that he didn't get jail time, and that he can still teach hula to young boys.

But parents of the boys sexually assaulted by Howell "Chinky" Mahoe are most upset that Mahoe did not apologize in court for what he did to his hula students.

"It shows he has no compassion," said the mother of one of his victims.

Parents' names are being withheld to protect the identity of the victims.

Circuit Judge Wilfred Watanabe yesterday sentenced Mahoe to five years probation instead of the 10-year jail term the state requested.

Deputy Prosecutor Darrell Wong also asked that Mahoe be barred from teaching hula to young boys. Watanabe did not go that far, although he said at least one adult must always be present when Mahoe is around children during his probation.

Mahoe said it was "God's plan" that Watanabe allowed him to continue teaching hula. He said his students have continued to trust him.

But parents of the victims said other parents should be cautious. "The ones who are loyal (to Mahoe) should think about it," a mother said.

Mahoe, 42, pleaded no contest last year to sexually assaulting four male dancers ages 9 to 14. He was charged with five felony counts of third-degree sexual assault and one misdemeanor count of fourth-degree sexual assault for crimes committed from 1994 to 1996.

Watanabe sentenced Mahoe to probation because he did not have a prior criminal history, has been conscientious about his treatment and made "excellent" progress, and was unlikely to commit additional crimes.

Three parents of the victims spoke at the sentencing. None told Watanabe to give Mahoe jail time, but outside the courtroom they said they supported the state's request.

"He put our boys in prison," one mother said about the victims' fear of telling their parents what Mahoe had done. "He should know what it feels to be locked in."

A father told Watanabe that his son always kept the door locked now, even during the day. "He lives in fear," the father said. "A man he trusted violated that trust."

The father said men in the hula group had confronted Mahoe about molesting boys. "That is why he went to the church and became a born-again Christian," said the father, who fears Mahoe will molest young boys again.

Two psychologists for the defense testified that they believed Mahoe was not a danger to the community and that chances he would commit more crimes were very low.

After the sentencing, Mahoe said he wanted to get on with his life, and the next step was preparing for the Merrie Monarch hula festival.