Man accused of throwing woman off cliff denies guilt

Justin Klein pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Tuesday for allegedly throwing a 31-year-old Japa­nese visitor off a cliff on Kauai’s North Shore.

His trial was scheduled for Aug. 5 at Kauai Circuit Court. Klein is being held at the Kauai Community Correctional Center in lieu of $1 million bail. A grand jury indicted Klein, 37, on second-degree attempted murder charges.

Police arrested Klein on Saturday afternoon at Lyd­gate Beach Park, ending a nearly four-month manhunt when it appeared as though he wanted to turn himself in after approaching a group of beachgoers and identifying himself, a county spokes­woman said.

Azusa Ino of Fuku­oka prefecture suffered significant head injuries after she was allegedly thrown from a 15-foot cliff in Kala­lau Valley on Dec. 16. She was at Wilcox Memorial Hospital for more than a week and returned to Japan after she was released.

Klein’s sister, Jody Pearson, said Klein and Ino had a "romantic" relationship. Pearson described the incident as an accident and said her brother never intended to harm Ino.

Police are investigating the extent of Klein and Ino’s relationship.