Waialua girl, 17,
to be tried as adult

She is called friendly,
but prosecutors note she
had fired a gun before

By Crusatl Kua
Star-Bulletin

She helped around the house, held a close relationship with her brothers and parents, and was well liked in school.

But she also cut classes, once fired an AK-47 gun, disobeyed the school dress code and had an explosive temper that led her to want to hurt someone who caused trouble to her younger brother.

Although a Family Court judge yesterday heard testimony on contrasting sides of Lovisa Rauch, his decision on whether she should be tried as an adult focused on the allegation that she may have committed murder.

Rauch, who turned 17 last month, dropped her head in her father's arms and sobbed uncontrollably after Senior Family Judge Dan Kochi ordered that she be prosecuted in adult court in the Aug. 13 fatal shooting of a 62-year-old woman in Waialua.

Rauch is accused of firing a bullet from a .22-caliber rifle that killed retired bus driver Julia Alameida.

Kochi granted a request by prosecutors to have the Family Court waive jurisdiction over Rauch so she can be prosecuted as an adult.

Kochi relied on a new section of the waiver law that allows him to consider fewer factors in murder cases.

"It's a different set of criteria for the judge," Deputy Prosecutor Jennifer Ching said.

Rauch's family and lawyer, Philip Bogetto, had no comment after the proceedings.

Rauch was taken into custody by Honolulu police detectives after an unsuccessful attempt late in the afternoon by her lawyer to keep her out of the police cellblock over the weekend.

Rauch is expected to be charged this weekend with second-degree murder, which carries a mandatory prison term of life in prison with the possibility of parole.

Youths convicted in Family Court can only be incarcerated until age 19.

Yesterday's hearing presented differing views of the tall, slender teen-ager whom prosecutors said picked up a gun knowing that it could hurt someone.

Rauch's family told Kochi that Rauch was a well-rounded girl who was close to her parents, Perry Rauch and Lovelyn Kekino, and brothers. She was cooperative and helped around the house.

Her father, throughout the hearing, hugged his daughter and periodically fixed her long, dark brown hair.

She would go fishing with her father and turn to her older brother for emotional support at times. "I would be the first person she comes to in the family," Dane Rauch testified.

A school friend, Jasmine Pullman, testified that Rauch was nice and friendly in school. "Everybody likes her."

A psychiatrist hired by Rauch's lawyer said that Rauch was exhibiting symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, all treatable with counseling.

"I do not feel that she presents an ongoing danger," Dr. Barry Carleton testified.

But prosecutors painted a much different picture of her. Ching told Kochi that Waialua High School reported that Rauch cut class, was tardy at times and disobeyed the dress code.

Rauch was placed on supervised release after the shooting and went to live with an aunt in Kaneohe, where she attended a new school.

Rauch had an explosive temper that led to her looking for another youngster who caused trouble to Rauch's younger brother, Ching said.

Bogetto told the judge Rauch was loyal to her family. "When her family is threatened, she feels she is threatened."

Ching also said Rauch once fired an AK-47 in California, showing she knew a gun would be able to harm someone.

Alameida was trying to break up a fight which mainly involved Alameida's son and Rauch's family on Kaamooloa Road.

Clayton Alameida, who has been charged with assault in connection to the fight, allegedly struck Rauch and her mother during the melee.