STAR-BULLETIN / 2000
Albert Batalona was sentenced to serve two 20-year
minimums by the Hawaii Paroling Authority yesterday
for his role in the 1999 robbery of American Savings
in Kahala. He is shown here in court in October.

Bank robber
sentenced to
20-year minimums

Already serving life, Albert
Batalona faces concurrent
sentences on related convictions

By Debra Barayuga
Star-Bulletin

Convicted bank robber Albert Batalona, serving a life term without parole for attempting to kill a police officer who responded to the holdup, has been ordered to spend at least 20 years behind bars.

The Hawaii Paroling Authority yesterday ordered Batalona, 25, to serve two 20-year minimums for first-degree robbery and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony in connection with the July 1999 heist.

Batalona also received a five-year minimum for possession of a prohibited firearm, which is mandated by statute.

Deputy Prosecutor Jean Ireton said the state had asked for the maximum 20 years, "and we're delighted we got it."

Batalona's attorney, David Klein, could not be reached for immediate comment. Batalona has filed an appeal in this case. If his appeal on the attempted-murder charge prevails, the minimum term will have been established on the other convictions.

Batalona was the only one of four men to face trial in state court on an attempted-murder charge in the robbery.

He was one of four armed, masked men who stormed into the Kahala American Savings in July 1999 and fled with $115,000 cash. His three cohorts pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to bank robbery and agreed to testify against him.

Although no one in the bank was harmed, a shootout with police ensued outside the bank when police officer Frederick Rosskopf arrived at the scene.

At trial, co-defendant Roger Dailey testified Batalona was standing on the floorboard of the front passenger seat of their getaway car and aiming his semiautomatic weapon in the direction of the police officer.

As Dailey jumped into the getaway car, he said he heard gunshots coming from Batalona's direction. It sounded so close, he said, he thought he was shot and was going to die.

The defense had argued that co-defendants Jacob Hayme and Sean Matsunaga both admitted to firing their weapons and that it could have been one of them who fired the shots at Rosskopf.

Hayme and Matsunaga violated their plea agreements and refused to testify after they took the witness stand.

Richard Kawana, attorney for Hayme, said they are trying to work out an agreement with prosecutors. Matsunaga's attorney, Richard Gronna, could not be reached for immediate comment.

Dailey, who cooperated with federal officials, is not likely to be sentenced until the cases against Matsunaga and Hayme are resolved, federal prosecutors have said.