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Suspect agrees
to testify in
murder case

Star-Bulletin staff

A youth charged with second-degree murder in the August 1999 beating death of 20-year-old Vaovai Faateleupu has pleaded guilty to a reduced charge and will testify for the state in the upcoming murder trial of a codefendant.

Matthew David Palaita, who was 17 when the beating occurred outside the Waipahu 7-Eleven but was waived by Family Court to be tried as an adult, yesterday pleaded guilty to reckless manslaughter, punishable by up to 20 years in prison with the possibility of parole.

He also pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of second-degree robbery, which carries a penalty of 10-years imprisonment, on an unrelated robbery while out on bail for the murder charge.

Under a plea agreement, the state agreed to drop two other felony charges in connection with the robbery, which involved "hijacking" money from a group of kids at a bus stop. The state also agreed that the sentences be served concurrently, said Deputy Prosecutor Glenn Kim.

The codefendants and Faateleupu apparently had a history, and words were exchanged that led to the beating, Kim said.

Palaita allegedly participated in kicking Faateleupu while he was on the ground. He will be sentenced in December.

Codefendant Tali Fai awaits trial Oct. 23.