This isn’t justice ADVERTISING This isn’t justice Our judicial system is flawed when it comes to sentencing for crimes and punishment and bail. I was horrified on the Fourth of July by these three stories. One was the alleged rape
This isn’t justice
Our judicial system is flawed when it comes to sentencing for crimes and punishment and bail.
I was horrified on the Fourth of July by these three stories. One was the alleged rape of a disabled woman.
Can you believe this? The alleged attacker was the driver of the Arc of Hilo bus. The woman was physically unable to resist and communicate, and the bus driver, a 64-year-old man, was caught by two witnesses raping her on the bus.
What was most disturbing was public defender Austin Hsu, who asked Judge Michael Udovic that they recommend supervised release for this “alleged” rapist, which would allow him to be freed from posting bail!
They go on to say, “This is his first charges ever.” Ever! Raping a disabled woman! This isn’t a parking ticket! Everyone knows someone this sick, who “allegedly” rapes the most severely disabled, is a monster, and yet our judicial system makes it seem like a DUI.
What, too many inmates in Kulani? I say leave this guy there until his hearing.
Then, prosecutor Glenn Shiigi recommended supervised release, and requested the man get $64,000 bail for “the protection of the public.”
Are you kidding me? Anyone out there think this alleged rapist deserves to be out on bail? Oh, by the way, his bail was reduced to $49,000 until his hearing.
Innocent until proven guilty, but if there are witnesses, please, for the safety of us all, there should be no negotiations, bail reductions, etc.
These types of offenders should be in a holding cell — minimum, maximum, whatever — away from our children and the public until proven innocent. Putting this type of individual back on the streets is just inexcusable for our justice system. How do all of you sleep at night with children, grandchildren or loved ones of your own, after you negotiate with monsters who live on our island?
Let me guess — even when he is found guilty, you guys would give him a couple of years, tops, with good behavior.
Hence, here are the other two stories from the paper. Two brothers suspected of murder for a 2015 crime got $500,000 bail (DNA doesn’t lie, so they are picked up for the crime). Murders don’t happen here too often, so $250,000 each for murder on bail?
They shouldn’t be out on bail, period, in this town until after their trial. I live in Holualoa, where they are from. Do I want to see them in my neighborhood?
Again, on the front page, the sad story of Peter Boy Kema. (Not sure who is worse here; the mother, Jaylin, charged with manslaughter, who turned her back on her son and got off with only a year already served and a 10-year probation for knowing her husband had been repeatedly beating her child and killed him?)
Wow, judicial system, you guys dropped the ball here, big time.
Then, to give Peter Boy’s father leniency on his sentence if he showed them where he dumped the poor boy’s body, is downright pathetic. Why are we giving deals, and such lenient sentencing, to someone who has pleaded guilty?
Drug dealers get worse sentences in this state! Peter Boy’s family has no closure. This man will only serve a possible six to eight years, with the possibility of parole, or a possible maximum of 25 years, for killing his son.
He took a life. He should get life in prison for killing his son. His mother should have 25 years for lying all these years. Period. To those out there with children, are you with me on this — that his sentencing is too lenient?
I’m sure our judicial system has to decide which is worse, but sometimes these cases are no-brainers.
We have no justice when it comes to the worst crimes in our state. Stop negotiating with murderers, rapists and others, and then put them back on the streets, take their bail money and call it “for the protection of the public.”
Jeannie Scambos
Holualoa
