Third defendant gets life
in Army pilot’s death

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By Debra Barayuga
dbarayuga@starbulletin.com

The last of three defendants convicted in the death of Army pilot John Latchum in June 1998 apologized to the victim's family but continued to deny the seriousness of his conduct.

U.S. District Judge Helen Gillmor sentenced Bryson Jose, 23, yesterday to a mandatory life imprisonment for first-degree murder and 10 years for using a prohibited firearm.

Jose, who did not testify at trial, spoke for the first time about his role in the shooting.

He choked back tears, saying he did not think he deserved a life sentence because he did not pull the trigger.

"I really didn't do nothing. ... I didn't kill anybody," he told the court. "And today my life is on the line for what somebody did, you know."

Jose was among a group of men that included Roberto Miguel and Keala Leong, who went to the Waianae Recreation Center during the early morning hours of June 3, 1998. Miguel and Jose had earlier discussed burglarizing the cabins and robbing the occupants.

John and Wendy Latchum and their two children were vacationing on their last night at the cabins when the group attempted to break in. John Latchum went outside and yelled at the fleeing group when he was shot in the heart by Miguel.

Testimony at trial showed Jose acted as a leader of the group and was not simply "along for the ride," assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Johnson said. Under federal law a person who participates in a felony offense that results in death is just as liable as the person who pulls the trigger.

Saying he was no stranger to violence, Gillmor told Jose he should have known someone could have been injured.

"When you took those steps, you made yourself responsible for the death of John Latchum, and you are responsible for the death of John Latchum," Gillmor said.

Miguel was sentenced in August to a life term for felony murder and 20 years for using a shotgun. The jury could not agree on whether Leong was guilty of felony murder but acquitted him of attempted robbery. Leong later pleaded guilty to attempted burglary and received 10 years.

Barry Edwards, attorney for Jose, said he plans to appeal the sentence.