The Hilo man who allegedly sexually assaulted a woman on a Japan Airlines flight in October was ruled incompetent to stand trial Monday in Honolulu federal court by Judge S.C. Chang.
The Hilo man who allegedly sexually assaulted a woman on a Japan Airlines flight in October was ruled incompetent to stand trial Monday in Honolulu federal court by Judge S.C. Chang.
Michael Tanouye, 29, is charged with interference with flight crew members and attendants and aggravated sexual abuse by force or threat.
Defense attorney Richard H.S. Sing made a motion to judge the defendant not fit to stand trial.
After an evaluation, Tanouye was declared incompetent to stand trail Jan. 23. The hearing was continued until Monday, when he was “committed to the custody of the Attorney General an additional 120 days to see if he may be restored to competency.”
Tanouye allegedly forced the door in on a woman who was about to use the plane’s lavatory about two hours into a flight bound for Japan in early October, according to reports. He then locked the door behind him and allegedly removed the woman’s pants and underwear.
He also removed his pants and was blocking the door, the document said. The alleged victim pressed the emergency button at some point, the report said, and her mother, a flight attendant and several male passengers responded.
They were able to get inside by removing the screw from the door’s hinges and removed Tanouye from the room.
The plane’s captain turned around and landed in Honolulu, where Tanouye was taken into custody.
Email Graham Milldrum at gmilldrum@westhawaiitoday.com.