Natural death for elderly victim

The Medical Examiner's Office determined William C. Singer, whose son allegedly assaulted him after the 89-year-old soiled his bedsheets, died of natural causes.

Singer's 57-year-old son and caregiver, William E. Singer, was arrested and charged March 23 with second-degree assault. He was released Wednesday on $15,000 bail.

Police, in an affidavit filed in court, said the son told an officer March 9 he was changing his father's soiled bedding and got upset when he had trouble moving his father and feces fell on him.

The Kailua man also told police he slapped his father in the face, which resulted in his father having two black eyes.

The younger Singer was originally arrested March 9 on suspicion of abuse of a household member, but the case was reclassified to second-degree assault after a doctor at Castle Medical Center told police the elder man's right cornea burst, requiring surgery, police said.

The Medical Examiner's Office said the 89-year-old Singer died of multiple organ failure and had other significant conditions, including congestive heart failure, blockage of the pulmonary artery and scarring of the kidneys.

Charges against 6 activists reduced

A state judge reduced the burglary charges against the subjects of a self-proclaimed king of Hawaii to criminal trespass yesterday for breaking into Iolani Palace last summer but upheld the higher charge against their leader.

James Akahi is the only one of seven defendants still facing trial for second-degree burglary, a Class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison.

Circuit Judge Richard Pollack reduced the burglary charges for the six other defendants, including Grace Akahi, the self-proclaimed queen of the Kingdom of Hawaii, Nation, to second-degree criminal trespass, a petty misdemeanor.

The attorney general's office said it will appeal Pollack's ruling.

James Akahi said he entered the palace last Aug. 15 to claim the throne.