Mother says
son’s alleged abuser
also injured her
A Japanese woman told a jury yesterday that her boyfriend hit her in the face, dragged her by her hair and forced her to write a letter recanting a statement that she had made to police blaming him for abusing their infant son.
"I felt I was scared," said Asahi Suzuki, 35, through Miho May, an interpreter, in Circuit Judge Karen Ahn's courtroom yesterday. "It really hurt me."
Anthony Chatman, 33, is on trial for attempted second-degree murder for allegedly causing injuries to their 6-month-old son, Taison.
He is also on trial for allegedly bribing, extorting and abusing Suzuki, to intimidate her into retracting statements she made to police.
Prosecutors say Taison suffered brain damage and other injuries April 6-7, 2002, in a room at the Ambassador Hotel in Waikiki.
Suzuki said that sometime between April and September 2002, Chatman told her, "This is a very serious problem," and repeatedly asked her to return to Japan.
But Suzuki refused and said she was waiting for Taison, who was placed in foster care after airport workers noticed his injuries and refused to let her board a plane for Japan.
Suzuki also said that Chatman told her that if she did not testify in court, the case would be postponed or dismissed.
Suzuki added that Chatman bought her clothes, took her to a nail salon and gave her two diamond rings.
She said he told her he meant to give them to her a year before; however, she returned the rings and said, "I would only want those when we get married."
Suzuki said that on Oct. 20 at Chatman's Ala Wai apartment, he hit her near her eye and dragged her to another room by her hair after she told him she needed time away from him. She said he then brought her a piece of paper and told her to write in Japanese what he dictated.
Suzuki said part of the letter that was addressed to Chatman read: "I wanted to apologize, but trouble came up because I lied to police. I know you didn't hit Taison or hurt Taison at the hotel."
It further stated, "I didn't want to lose Taison. I was scared. I talked to many people at the hospital. I didn't quite understand what happened. Please forgive me. Because I lied and this thing happened after I went back to Japan, I will call the prosecutor's office and tell them you didn't hurt Taison."
Chatman's defense has suggested that Suzuki is responsible for Taison's injuries and for not getting medical attention.
The trial is expected to resume this morning.