COURTESY KITV Pfc. Brandon Scott departed for Massachusetts yesterday.

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Soldier in beating case
leaves hospital

A Schofield Barracks soldier left Honolulu "a little groggy, a little sore," with a hairline fracture in his jaw, a scar on the right side of his skull from surgery on his brain and double vision from a beating in Waikiki on Mother's Day.

Suspect: He allegedly punched the Schofield Barracks soldier in the face

Departing for Massachusetts yesterday, Pfc. Brandon Scott said: "They're still kind of wondering whether or not there are going to be some long-term medical things that are wrong with me, in which case that might cause some problems for me as far as the military.

"Right now it doesn't look like my career is that affected," he said.

Witnesses told police one man punched Scott in the face, knocking him to the ground, then another man stomped on his head near the Scruples Beach Club. Both assailants fled before police arrived.

Honolulu police have released a composite sketch of one of them. Detective Napela Gay said he hopes to have a sketch of the second suspect after interviewing more witnesses.

The man who punched Scott is described as being in his 20s, 5-feet-6-inches tall, weighing 180 pounds, with a husky build, short, dark, wavy hair and a brown complexion, and wearing a white T-shirt and denim shorts. The man who stomped on Scott is described as being in his 20s, 5-feet-6-inches tall, weighing 180 pounds, with a husky build, straight, crewcut black hair and a brown complexion, and wearing a black "ROTR" (Rumble on the Rock) T-shirt.

Scott, 19, left Tripler Army Medical Hospital with his parents yesterday for 30 days of convalescent leave. He said he plans to return to Schofield to apply for warrant officer flight school to become a helicopter pilot.

At about the same time Scott was attacked, a police officer was breaking up some street fights between groups of men around the corner on Seaside Avenue. Police arrested professional mixed martial arts fighter B.J. "Jay" Penn for allegedly punching the officer in the face.

The previous night, nearly 8,000 people watched "Rumble on the Rock 7," a mixed martial arts event at Blaisdell Arena. Penn was not one of the night's fighters.

One of Scott's attackers was wearing a black T-shirt with the letters ROTR. But detective Gay said he has nothing connecting the events except the T-shirt.

"What provoked (the attack) I have no idea. It seemed totally unprovoked," Gay said.

Nationally known birth control rights advocate Bill Baird, Scott's stepfather, believes Scott was targeted because his stepson is in the military.

Scott does not share his stepfather's view. He said he has not had any problems since arriving in Hawaii six months ago.

"I really love it here and it would take something a lot more serious to turn me off in any way," he said.