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Bank robbery
codefendant says
he heard gunshots

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By Debra Barayuga
Star-Bulletin

One of three men who pleaded guilty to robbing the American Savings Bank in Kahala more than a year ago said he didn't see Albert Batalona firing his weapon at a police officer.

But Roger Dailey said that as soon as he jumped into the getaway vehicle, he heard gunshots going off, coming from Batalona's direction.

"It was so close to my head, I thought I was shot," he said. "The next thing I thought I was going to die."

Just moments earlier, he saw Batalona standing elevated on the floorboard by the front passenger seat and aiming his weapon toward the street where a passing police car had disappeared moments earlier.

"Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop," he said describing the sounds. After that "it was just too much noise, yeah. Too many gunshots."

Sean Matsunaga and Jacob Hayme were still inside the bank and nowhere near the car when the shooting began.

Dailey is a key witness in the attempted murder trial of Batalona, who faces life without parole if convicted of shooting at police officer Frederick Rosskopf. Police traced a supermarket discount card on a set of keys that Dailey left behind in the Blazer. After initially denying his involvement, Dailey admitted to police he was one of the bank robbers and identified his accomplices.

Dailey said he agreed to participate in the robbery because he was "stressed out" and "wasn't thinking properly."

He couldn't pay his bills and after getting hurt on the job and taking off from work for a month without pay, was told by employers he wasn't going to get workers compensation.

Batalona shook his head yesterday as he listened to Dailey's account of July 7, 1999.

Batalona's defense is that his two other accomplices, Sean Matsunaga and Jacob Hayme also fired their weapons that day. While both have refused to testify, portions of the statements they made to police and federal prosecutors will be admitted at trial.

The day before the heist, Dailey said the four met to discuss what they were going to do.

Dailey said he tried unsuccessfully to convince the other three that guns were unnecessary, and that four guys walking into the bank wearing masks would be just as effective as a gun.

Batalona said that if the cops came, he would start shooting, Dailey said.