Grand jury indicts 2
in man’s beating death
An Oahu grand jury has indicted two men in the beating death of a 26-year-old man who urinated in a truck belonging to one of his alleged attackers.
Indicted for second-degree murder yesterday were Ulutunu S. Faumuina Jr. and John Wilfred Penitani.
Mikiala "Keola" Kahalewai died at the Queen's Medical Center of injuries he received after he was allegedly punched and kicked by Faumuina and at least two others on April 19 on Kona Street near the Pachinko Karaoke bar.
Faumuina was earlier charged by police with second-degree murder.
Penitani, who has worked as a bouncer, was not arrested because he has not been seen since the day after the beating, prosecutors said. He is believed to have fled to California where his family lives.
Bail for the two was set at $100,000.
At the Makalapa Neighborhood Park during a "celebration of life" Tuesday in memory of Kahalewai, about 100 police officers, including 35 Specialized Services Division officers, clashed with a crowd of about equal number, according to police.
A few officers advised mourners, who were drinking at the public park, not to drink there and to leave at the scheduled end of the gathering.
The crowd started to get aggressive, police said.
There were "chairs flying, people throwing ice" at officers, said District 3 Commander Maj. Bryan Wauke.
Police arrested three people for disorderly conduct and harassment, including Melvamae Kahalewai, 48, Kahalewai's mother.
One officer was hit in the head with a chair. Others received bumps and scrapes.
Wauke said people were "swearing, threatening and belligerent" mostly due to being under the influence of alcohol.
Residents in nearby Puuwai Momi public housing, concerned about the possible rowdiness of mourners drinking in the area, asked for police presence for the event scheduled for 2 to 6 p.m., Wauke said.
Plainclothes patrol officers assessed the situation at 2 p.m. and arranged for additional officers to arrive at about 6:30 p.m., Wauke said.