2 men face charges
in Kalihi killing

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By Debra Barayuga
dbarayuga@starbulletin.com

Police charged two men yesterday in connection with the beating death of a man at a Kalihi cockfight on Friday.

According to police, a group of men beat Leon Fernandez, 39, with a tree branch and kicked him to death after he had jumped to the defense of Eufracio Esmeralda, 41.

Esmeralda was also struck in the head with a branch and kicked, but is expected to recover. Fernandez lost consciousness after he was kicked in the head, according to court documents. He died the next day.

Police charged Evan B. Kakugawa yesterday with second-degree murder and Jason Yoshimura with attempted murder.

The victims and suspects had been attending a cockfight at a Bannister Street residence when a dispute broke out involving Esmeralda, police said.

According to court documents, a witness to Esmeralda's beating told Fernandez, and the witness and Fernandez approached the group to ask them why they had beaten Esmeralda.

Another witness identified Kakugawa as hitting Esmeralda with the branch twice to the back and once to the head while he lay on the ground. Two other males, including Yoshimura, also kicked Esmeralda in the head as he covered his head with his hands.

Fernandez asked the men why they were beating Esmeralda, and the group beat Fernandez, police said.

Kakugawa and Yoshimura were both arrested on Monday.