Hate Crime?

[alohabear]

Re: Hate Crime?

But if I stay "turned," I won't be able to see my computer screen, and read updates on HT. (There may be a mixed blessing in that.)

sorry ,,,i fixed it

[buzz1941]

Re: Hate Crime?

Don't forget about the couple's 3-year-old kid who witnessed the beating. People think "aw, he's only 3; he won't remember any of this when he gets older".

Supposedly the youngster is now afraid of shopping malls.

Although Paakaula the Elder is the one arrested and charged, Paakaula the Younger seems to have sparked the incident out of control. Many are assuming, because of the previous beating conviction against the father, that the kid is just acting out repressed rage, and the military couple were in the wrong place at the right time. There are always corollary victims in cases like this who are overlooked.

Remember when people tried to talk nice about John Miranda? The girlfriend he murdered and dumped in the marsh was overlooked.

[timkona]

Re: Hate Crime?

The FBI steps in for a crime in Honolulu, but at Hookena the crime was infinitely, and terribly worse, and yet no federal interest. South Kona just gets shafted all the time. If you think about it, it's kinda crazy.

[buzz1941]

Re: Hate Crime?

My brother is a farmer in South Kona, and describes it as "the Wild West."

[tutusue]

Re: Hate Crime?

Supposedly the youngster is now afraid of shopping malls.

Although Paakaula the Elder is the one arrested and charged, Paakaula the Younger seems to have sparked the incident out of control. Many are assuming, because of the previous beating conviction against the father, that the kid is just acting out repressed rage, and the military couple were in the wrong place at the right time. There are always corollary victims in cases like this who are overlooked.

Remember when people tried to talk nice about John Miranda? The girlfriend he murdered and dumped in the marsh was overlooked.

I'm a bit confused, Burl. Are you saying the military couple is being overlooked? In HT? In the media? I think I remember hearing on the news via a relative that the military couple want to be left alone at this time. I don't think any of us are talking nice about the perpetrators in this incident but a few of us see an interesting pattern; a pattern that doesn't, in the least, excuse rotten behavior.

Speaking for myself only...the couple and their toddler are the primary victims in this tragic situation. They were initially accosted by the enraged teen in a situation that didn't warrant any rage. The teen's switch got flipped by a minor incident. Why? As I understand it the usual cause is suppressed anger/rage unrelated to the current incident...along the lines of "the straw that broke the camel's back". And that, in no way, excuses or justifies his behavior.

The sad but interesting side note was to learn of the domestic abuse inflicted upon the teen by his father; a beating severe enough to warrant an arrest. So, now it appears there is a secondary victim altho' not a victim of this current beating; rather, a victim of a previous beating; one who is now perpetuating what he learned. Domestic abuse doesn't just begin one morning when the alarm clock goes off. It tends to be handed down from generation to generation. The Waianae Coast is wrought with domestic abuse and that ugly cycle needs to be broken. How? I just don't know.

The younger Paakaula has been turned over to Family Court. My guess is his age prevents the same media attention his dad is receiving.

[buzz1941]

Re: Hate Crime?

I'm a bit confused, Burl. Are you saying the military couple is being overlooked?.... The younger Paakaula has been turned over to Family Court. My guess is his age prevents the same media attention his dad is receiving.

No, the kid. The primary charges (as far as we know) are being brought against the father, but, as PoiBoy points out, he didn't instigate the incident, he just finished it. In cases like this, sometimes the juvenile can be charged as an adult. In which case, his lawyers will paint him as a victim.

I still don't know why the mother wasn't charged. I hear the cops couldn't decide who was being more forthright, Mrs. Paakaula or the military wife who was knocked unconscious, so they let it go.

[Miulang]

Re: Hate Crime?

The FBI steps in for a crime in Honolulu, but at Hookena the crime was infinitely, and terribly worse, and yet no federal interest. South Kona just gets shafted all the time. If you think about it, it's kinda crazy.

The feds are probably trying to see if this particular crime falls under the following statute of the Civil Rights Laws:

Title 18, U.S.C., Section 241
Conspiracy Against Rights


This statute makes it unlawful for two or more persons to conspire to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate any person of any state, territory or district in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him/her by the Constitution or the laws of the United States, (or because of his/her having exercised the same).

It further makes it unlawful for two or more persons to go in disguise on the highway or on the premises of another with the intent to prevent or hinder his/her free exercise or enjoyment of any rights so secured.

Punishment varies from a fine or imprisonment of up to ten years, or both; and if death results, or if such acts include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for any term of years, or for life, or may be sentenced to death.

They may have an additional interest in this case because the guy who was injured was a war veteran (was he still on active duty?).

Miulang

[timkona]

Re: Hate Crime?

In terms of degree, it's not even close. 4 people went to the Emergency Room after the Hookena incident.

[TuNnL]

Re: Hate Crime?

A fair fight isn't between a 16year old kid vs. a grown military man and his wife. Regardless of who instigated what.

I have to say it is kind of shocking that a veteran soldier could not defend himself against a 16-year-old civilian. No wonder we are losing the war in Iraq!

New wrinkle in the story as the FBI steps into investigate whether a hate crime was committed. Star Bulletin story.

City Prosecutor Peter Carlisle said the assault was not a hate crime under Hawaii law because it did not appear that the victims had been selected because of their race.

"There needs to be a targeting," Carlisle said.

To me, you need to take the auto collision out of the picture, in order for this to be considered a hate crime. Ask yourself, if there was no accident, would the Pa‘akaulas even have noticed the military family?

[sinjin]

Re: Hate Crime?

When the boy noticed they were haoles did they not become a fair target in his mind?

[TuNnL]

Re: Hate Crime?

When the boy noticed they were haoles did they not become a fair target in his mind?

Who knows? It’s just as likely, though, that they had already become a fair target when they hit his car.

[sinjin]

Re: Hate Crime?

Who knows? It’s just as likely, though, that they had already become a fair target when they hit his car.

IMO his choice of epithet makes your suggestion less defensible.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Hate Crime?

It’s just as likely, though, that they had already become a fair target when they hit his car.

Minor automotive damage automatically makes someone "a fair target" to be beaten senseless??? Seems that we're forgetting that the behavior of the perpetrators was way out of line for the incident that occurred.

Hard to clearly define it as a "hate crime," until you take into account the racial epithet that was hurled. That may be the single factor that authorities use to determine on which side of the dividing line it falls, and thus affects their sentence (if they are convicted.)

[tutusue]

Re: Hate Crime?

I have to say it is kind of shocking that a veteran soldier could not defend himself against a 16-year-old civilian. No wonder we are losing the war in Iraq![...]

I guess what I'm not clear about is whether or not the soldier and the teen were fighting outside the car prior to the dad entering the fray. IOW, how and when did the soldier exit his car? Was the teen punching the soldier thru an open window while the soldier was still seated in the car? Initially it seems the soldier was inside the car when the teen began kicking the car's door. The soldier's wife exited the car to try and stop the teen. At what point did it become a one-on-one soldier/teen beating then a 2-on-one dad/teen/soldier beating?

If I was a betting person (I'm not!) I'd bet that the soldier tried to come to his wife's aid when the teen's mom attacked her and he ended up in a vulnerable position.

I assume if the soldier is a disabled vet that fact would've been reported by now.

[alohabear]

Re: Hate Crime?

This thread sounds like a episode of NCIS. Taking the plot line, they could film here in the islands right now. A very special, ripped from the headlines, NCIS.