To Indict | Jury Decline Prosecute Honolulu Police Officers: The prominent jurors refuse to bring three police officers from Honolulu to justice in a shooting that killed a boy of 16.
On Wednesday, the office of the Honolulu Attorney General told an extensive jury to seek charges from the three officers. In the shooting that killed Iremamber Sykap, the grand jury refused to issue indictments on any of the officers.
To Indict | Jury Decline Prosecute Honolulu Police Officers
Proceeding
Prosecutor Steve Alm investigates the shooting of the 29-year old Lindani Myeni by Honolulu Police on April 14, 2015.
Police reported that Sykaps drove a Honda stolen from an armed robbery, burglary, baggage, car theft, and chasing officials. Hence a lawyer representing Sykap’s mother and grandmother on a lawsuit provides medical records that say the teen shot at the back of his head and shoulders.
Without Evidence
Police rejected releasing the shooting of the officer’s body camera.
Therefore It is difficult for police officers to work, and in potentially deadly situations, they sometimes have to decide to split second,” said interim Chief of Police Rade Vanic. “We continue to do our best to protect our community despite the many challenges. We value the time and consideration of the jury.”
Family Side Statement
The attorney for Sykap’s family, Eric Seitz, said he would like transcripts from the grand jury.
He added that he wanted prosecutors to explain to the family what happened. His clients are distressed by the news they had today.
“It was not from the office of the prosecutor that they had contact,” he said. “We didn’t know what was happening.”
Transcripts would be the only way for the public to understand the evidence presented by public prosecutors. During the secret proceedings, Kenneth Lawson, professor of law at Hawaii University, said.
As they hear could prosecute a sandwich of ham. Therefore to get a charge from a grand jury does not take much, he said.
Lawson said there were no charges, partly as the teenager was Micronesian. No surprise.
“When you look at black and brown people on the continent, Micronesians in Hawaii – less than that,” says Lawson, who is black.
She isn’t surprised by Jacquie Esser, a state deputy defendant who is not involving in the case. The judges favor a great deal of the police, so it is not surprising that they came back with no charges,”
She said that prosecutors always seek charges against the officers at a preliminary hearing if a judge determines whether a reason is probable.
Matt Dvonch, Special Counsel to the Public Prosecutor, said: “The Department still reviews the issue and won’t comment further on this time”.
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