Micronesians protest comments by attorney

A coach's lawyer faces outrage after his incest comment

Micronesian community leaders have writen a letter of protest to the lawyer defending a Wahiawa soccer coach accused of molesting six Marshallese boys.

Twenty Micronesian church leaders and community members gathered at Honolulu Kosraean Church last week to talk about comments from attorney William Harrison, which they said were "prejudicial and made out of ignorance."

Their letter demands a public apology and retraction.

Harrison spoke to reporters after his client Frederick Rames appeared in court on Oct. 9.

In a story broadcast on KITV, Harrison defended Rames, saying there were language and cultural barriers because the children were from the Marshall Islands and adding: "There are a lot of issues in regards to the Marshallese and the Marshallese children -- a lot of incest that goes on in the Marshall Islands. So I don't know what the facts of this case are."

Harrison said he doesn't recall saying anything about incest in Micronesia.

"I don't think I believe I said anything discriminatory," he said.

He admitted he said that venereal disease is common in the Marshall Islands because he was reporting what a doctor who does work in the Marshall Islands had told him.

"I have to take a look at the video and see what they're complaining about. I don't know what the basis of the complaint would be," he said. "(Harrison) said it on the television -- that (incest) is like a normal practice for us down in Micronesia. We do not agree with that," said Peter Aten, 34, president of the Chuuk Chamber of Commerce. "It hurts us. It's actually taboo and forbidden for us to do anything of that nature. We're very conservative people."

CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM Attorney William Harrison, left, shown with client Frederick Rames, does not recall saying anything discriminatory against Micronesians.

"It just doesn't sit right with us because we realize the Marshall Islands is not the only place that has that particular disease," Coleman said.

She questioned how the lawyer would know there was a misinterpretation if he doesn't speak Marshallese.

"There's also disbelief someone like him, a lawyer, could say something like that," she said. "This reflects on all Micronesians. What he is saying about the culture reflects on all Micronesians, and it's simply not true."

Harrison, a graduate of the University of Hawaii's William S. Richardson School of Law, is defending Rames, 65, who is facing 23 counts of molestation and four counts of witness tampering.

Police arrested Rames in September over accusations that he had molested two boys, ages 7 and 12. One of the boys had been found to have a venereal disease.

Charges involving four more boys were added in October, and Rames is being held on $1 million bail.

At least one of the alleged victims was a foster child under Rames' care.

Harrison said Rames' case was brought by "overzealous" police and prosecutors, aggravated by language and cultural barriers of the Marshallese children.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, there are more than 8,000 Micronesians in Hawaii from the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.