Gov. Ben Cayetano has granted pardons to 43 people so far this year, and could issue more in the 2 1/2 working days he has left before Gov.-elect Linda Lingle takes over at noon Monday. 43 offenders pardoned by
Cayetano this year
The Governor's pardons
By Pat Omandam
pomandam@starbulletin.comLingle has already expressed an interest in understanding how to utilize this unique power by the governor, and asked Cayetano about it during a meeting this week.
"Even though I've been a mayor, a pardon is something that is very unique to a governor," Lingle said. "And it was very helpful to me to listen to how he approached that."
The list of pardons, provided yesterday by the Governor's Office, has an effective date of Nov. 6. Notable defendants include June Bayudan, whom Cayetano pardoned on July 23.
Bayudan was 16 when he took part in the killing of 17-year-old Rowen Miguel, a bystander caught in a fight between two Waipahu youth gangs in 1986.
Bayudan and two others were convicted of manslaughter in 1995. He served a year in prison and five years probation. In 1998, the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service began deportation proceedings against Bayudan, but that effort has been blocked pending a decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
City Prosecutor Peter Carlisle could not comment individually on any of the names listed, saying he was still researching their histories. But he lamented the lack of notification to law enforcement, particularly police and prosecutors who pursued and prosecuted these cases.
"It would certainly be appreciated to have input before these people are pardoned," Carlisle said.
A pardon eliminates a conviction from criminal records. Once pardoned, a defendant can serve on a jury, seek public office or, if given express authorization, possess or use firearms.
Applying for a pardon is a multi-step process that can take up to a year.
In August 2000, the Governor's Office released a list of 84 people pardoned by Cayetano since he took office in 1994. The list included former attorney Thomas M. Foley, who killed a man while driving drunk in 1995 and served a four-year term.
Cayetano said at the time Foley had accepted full responsibility for the crime and didn't belong in jail.
Another Cayetano pardon in 2000 was for former state legislator Gene Albano, who was convicted in 1993 of voter registration fraud. An Oahu grand jury indicted Albano in 1983 for illegally registering voters in his Kalihi Kai-Iwilei House district. Cayetano said he granted the pardon because of Albano's health.
Star-Bulletin reporter Debra Barayuga contributed to this report.
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Governor's pardons
Here's a list of pardons granted by Gov. Ben Cayetano this year, effective Nov. 6:
Name: Date pardoned: Salvador Agalodad July 23 Benjamin Baniaga Jan. 25 John McRae Batsell Sept. 13 June Bayudan July 23 Castle C. Boon Jan. 22 John Russell Burrows III July 29 David P. Cansana Sept. 13 Celeste H. Casteel Oct. 14 Alfred Castro April 23 Wilfredo T. Claravall July 23 Carol M. Clifford May 7 James Lee Costa Oct. 14 Richard W. Costa Aug. 27 Frank J. Eblacas Sept. 6 Edwin C. Felix Jan. 29 Harry Fishel Jr. May 13 Craig Gillen Nov. 1 Richard G. Gonsales May 13 John T. Green June 7 Mark K. Hashiro April 26 John C. Hertrich Jan. 26 Raymond Kalani Javonero Nov. 1 Charles J.K. Johnston Sr. Jan. 29 Kenneth R. Kahler Feb. 8 Lona Garnette Kaui Aug. 27 Mark K. Kaui Sept. 26 Robert Gene Livingston April 25 Joan L. Mulgrew Sept. 9 John K. Napulou Sept. 6 Daniel Pagaduan Jr. Jan. 22 Faatautau Salanoa Jr. Sept. 11 Maria del Carmen Sanchez June 29 Allan I. Sildora June 7 Josephine A. Starkey Oct. 14 Walter M. Tamura Oct. 14 Ginger K. Toma Oct. 14 Steve H. Turner Oct. 14 George Uyeda June 29 Rudy Damasco Valdez Sept. 9 Vance C. Wedemeyer Aug. 27 David L. Williams Aug. 27 Laurie K. Yoneda June 29 Rosa Maria Zavala Sept. 9
State of Hawaii
