Court orders Kawaiaha'o to stop excavation of burials

The judges agree with a lawsuit arguing a state agency should have required an archaeological survey

By Andrew Gomes

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Sep 29, 2012

~~<p>Close to 20 months of work removing more than 600 burials from unmarked graves at Kawaiaha‘o Church came to a halt Friday after an appellate court ordered a stop to excavation work for a multipurpose building that has upset many Native Hawaiians and even some members of Hawaii's oldest church.</p>
<p>A three-member panel of Hawaii's Intermediate Court of Appeals granted an injunction sought by Hawaiian cultural specialist Dana Naone Hall, barring any work at the Honolulu church that could result in disinterment of more human remains.</p>
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Close to 20 months of work removing more than 600 burials from unmarked graves at Kawaiaha‘o Church came to a halt Friday after an appellate court ordered a stop to excavation work for a multipurpose building that has upset many Native Hawaiians and even some members of Hawaii's oldest church.

A three-member panel of Hawaii's Intermediate Court of Appeals granted an injunction sought by Hawaiian cultural specialist Dana Naone Hall, barring any work at the Honolulu church that could result in disinterment of more human remains. Login for more...