Comedian acquitted
of abuse

WAILUKU » Comedian Shawn Kaui Hill, also known as Bu La'ia, has been acquitted in Maui Circuit Court of abusing his wife.

But Hill, 38, still faces trial in a separate case involving felony charges stemming from a Nov. 18 incident at a Kula residence with two Maui Humane Society enforcement officers.

A Maui Circuit jury acquitted Hill of abuse of a household member Wednesday after his wife testified that she initiated the attack and he was defending himself at their Kahului home on Jan. 8.

Deputy Prosecutor Kimberly Adams said Hill's wife, Dane, changed her story during the trial.

Adams said Dane Hill initially told police her husband attacked her after he accused her of having an affair.

In the separate case, Hill has pleaded innocent to two counts of first-degree terroristic threatening and one count of first-degree assault of an enforcement officer at his Hawaiian Homes residence in Kula.

The Maui Humane Society said enforcement officers went to Hill's residence to impound several dogs that were unlicensed and in violation of the leash law.

Hill allegedly threatened animal control officers Gail Yoshimura and Debra Redd and rushed Yoshimura from behind, knocking her to the ground.

The trial tentatively set for Monday might be postponed, deputy public defender Jon Apo said.