Man gets 10-year
sentence in stabbing

Prosecutors say the girlfriend nearly
died from the attack with a screwdriver

A 28-year-old man was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison for stabbing his girlfriend 22 times with a Phillips screwdriver, nearly killing her, and the judge says he continues to blame her for the attack.

Circuit Judge Richard Pollack said statements made by Anthony Na'o and his parents yesterday show that Na'o still blames the now ex-girlfriend for stabbing her.

"I hope at some point you stop blaming people and others for your circumstances. ... Until you fully accept what you have done, you continue to pose a risk" to the ex-girlfriend, Pollack said in imposing the 10-year term.

Na'o was charged with attempted second-degree murder in the Feb. 13, 2004, attack on Rachelle Nagasawa. A jury found him guilty in May of the lesser offense of first-degree assault, punishable by a maximum 10 years.

Pollack rejected Na'o's request to be placed on probation, saying he found "no valid excuse whatsoever" for his conduct, which he called "reprehensible" and "unacceptable."

"It was extremely fortunate that the injuries didn't result in Ms. Nagasawa's death," Pollack said.

At trial, Deputy Prosecutor Rom Trader said Nagasawa survived despite being stabbed in the head, face, neck and throat area and suffering defensive wounds on her hands.

The screwdriver punctured her esophagus and narrowly missed her jugular, coming within a fraction of an inch of killing her, he said.

"It doesn't get any more serious than that," Trader argued yesterday.

Deputy public defender Walter Rodby had said Nagasawa, who had a daughter with Na'o, had been leading him on and violated a court order by contacting him.

Their relationship had been rocky and resulted in a bad breakup, but Na'o agreed to meet with her in Moiliili that day to give her money from his paycheck, Rodby said.

The couple argued, and Na'o picked up the screwdriver, which was lying nearby, and attacked her. A bystander managed to distract Na'o, allowing Nagasawa to flee to a nearby nail salon, but Na'o followed her and resumed his attack.

Na'o maintained he wanted to hurt his girlfriend but never intended to kill her.

Na'o asked the court yesterday for another chance. His parents said they do not condone what he did, but asked that he be spared prison so he can provide for his daughter and continue to work.

Trader said he will ask the Hawaii Paroling Authority that Na'o be ordered to spend "10 out of 10" years in prison before he can be paroled.