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HPD officer
gets 30 months
in prison

George DeRamos is the last of
five cops sentenced in the beating
of an arrested man and
the cover-up

---

By Debra Barayuga
Star-Bulletin

Letters from meter maids to retired higher-ups in the Honolulu Police Department describe George DeRamos as an extremely well-liked and highly regarded police officer, his attorney said.

"It appeared from letters he was very giving and selfless -- willing to help out when people had problems and questions," deputy public defender Michael Weight said.

"He was a guy who took his job seriously."

In sentencing DeRamos to 30 months for his role in the beating and cover-up of an arrestee in August 1995, U.S. District Judge Alan C. Kay said yesterday that it was "indeed a shame" that his long career with the department ended this way.

DeRamos, 47, a 25-year veteran of the department, was the last of five officers to be sentenced in the beating of Richard Doolin at the Honolulu receiving desk and the subsequent cover-up.

He received more time than another officer, Jesse Nozawa, who received 24 months for admitting to kicking Doolin in the rear.

DeRamos had pleaded guilty on the eve of trial last September to a felony charge of conspiracy to obstruct justice.

He admitted to generating a false report and intimidating Doolin into not revealing to hospital staff how he was injured, said Michael Barr, attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division.

The false report indicated that Doolin had suffered injuries as a result of falling on a berm in the parking lot.

Weight had argued that 24 months was sufficient punishment because DeRamos did not strike Doolin, admitted to making the statement that Doolin took as a threat and has taken responsibility for his actions.

Weight called it "unseemly" that De-Ramos could be sentenced to the same term as an officer who inflicted injuries on Doolin.

The government had argued for 30 months -- the maximum under federal sentencing guidelines -- saying Doolin's beating happened on DeRamos' watch, that he was directly responsible for the cover-up and in doing so, brought other officers into the conspiracy, Barr said.

"This conduct is most reprehensible in light of his supervisory role, in light of his attempts to hide true facts from emerging."

Kay said DeRamos' disrespect for the civil rights of citizens that he took an oath to protect "erodes the public confidence in law enforcement authorities."

DeRamos lied to the Honolulu Internal Affairs, the Honolulu Police Commission and to the FBI, Kay said.

As part of his sentence, Kay also ordered DeRamos to serve three years under supervised release upon leaving prison and to pay $5,000 in restitution.

DeRamos declined to make a statement in court yesterday.

According to the government, the beating occurred after DeRamos ordered subordinate officers to "take care" of a problem arrestee who was being transported from the Pearl City station.

DeRamos retired from the department last year, Weight said, as have officers Nozawa, David Chun and A.C. Brown.

Chun received a 51-month term, which was later reduced to 31 months because of his assistance to the government.

Brown received 24 months. Officer Brian Punzal received six months.

Another officer, William Duarte, who was not named in the indictment but pleaded guilty to misdemeanor civil rights violations in connection with the case, was sentenced to a one-year prison term.