Accused teen
will be tried as
a juvenile

Shane Hirakawa, 16, allegedly
tried to kill his ex-girlfriend
with a sword

By Linda Hosek
Star-Bulletin

A 16-year-old boy pleaded not guilty this morning to trying to kill his former 13-year-old girlfriend with a sword in a March 30 incident that nearly severed her wrist.

Shane Hirakawa, a Pearl City High School student who has been treated privately for emotional disorders, is scheduled to stand trial June 29 as a juvenile before Family Court Judge John C. Bryant Jr.

If found guilty, he faces a maximum penalty of incarceration at a youth facility until age 19. Prosecutors had wanted to try him as an adult in Circuit Court, where he would have faced life in prison with parole if convicted as charged.

Deputy Prosecutor Katherine Puana Kealoha said she would look into the possibility of sending Hirakawa to a mainland facility to treat emotional and social disorders if the prosecution prevails.

Kealoha, who said the victim was concerned for her safety if he remained in the juvenile system, said the victim would testify at the trial.

"The victim was shocked," she said. "She never expected this to happen because she thought they were friends."

Kealoha said Hirakawa followed the victim after their breakup and apparently hit her from behind as she walked past him. She suffered nine gashes, and doctors used 120 staples to close her wounds, she said.

Family Court Judge Dan T. Kochi yesterday denied the motion to try Hirakawa as an adult.

Deputy Public Defender Karen Nakasone hugged her client's relatives after the ruling yesterday and called the fight to keep him in Family Court the "biggest battle."

She said he needed psychological treatment and said she would likely argue for a lesser offense during his trial.

But the ruling stunned the victim's relatives, who didn't think the judge weighed the victim's injuries, feelings or future, said Kealoha.

"The victim is the one who has to pay for this the longest," she said. "Her doctor doesn't even know if she'll ever get full control of her left arm."

Kochi said in his brief ruling that it didn't appear that prosecuting the minor as an adult would protect the victim or further the interests of society.

"The minor needs to grow up and distinguish between reality and his fantasies," Kochi said. "He has been babied, and excuses have been made for his conduct."

He also said none of the psychologists who examined Hirakawa said he had a violent personality or presented a danger to others.

Kochi also said experts who examined Hirakawa said they believed he could be helped by psychological treatment. But he also noted that they didn't come up with a diagnosis or find evidence that he was commitable to an institution.

He acknowledged the seriousness of the victim's injuries but also said the minor had no previous contact with the law or history of violent acts.

Deeply relieved by the ruling, Earl Hirakawa said he had visited his son daily and that he was "growing as a Christian."

Kealoha said the victim's relatives remembered the testimony of one psychologist, who said Hirakawa had a 50-50 chance of successful treatment within three years.

"They didn't feel any confidence in that," she added.

Previous mental-health professionals have said Hirakawa's emotional maturity was between 11 and 13 and that he developed imaginary cartoon characters to cope.

Kealoha said the incident occurred after his former girlfriend said she wanted to break up with him. She said he followed her around school, eventually appearing with a sword.