Health Department loses interim director
The state Department of Health will temporarily be without a director.
Gary Gill, whom Gov. Neil Abercrombie named as interim director after Loretta Fuddy died in a plane crash off Molokai in December, returned to his post as deputy director for environmental health administration Monday after the interim appointment expired.
Abercrombie said an announcement on a new director could come "very, very shortly." The nominee would serve on an interim basis until the state Senate could review the nomination.
Department decisions will be handled by deputy directors in the meantime.
"We’re all well aware of the terrible circumstances that required us to have this great team at the Department of Health engage in carrying forward with Director Fuddy’s program, and that period is coming to a close, so I’ll be making a nomination for interim director very, very shortly," the governor told reporters.
New trial ordered for man who killed wife
The Hawaii Supreme Court ordered a new trial Monday for a Kalihi man convicted of murder in the 2007 stabbing of his wife.
Melchor Adviento contended he stabbed his wife, Erlinda, in self-defense, but he was found guilty of murder by a jury in 2009.
The high court ruled that the trial judge should have allowed the jury to consider the defense that Adviento was suffering from "extreme mental or emotional disturbance," even though neither the prosecution nor the defense requested it.
Under the defense, Adviento would be convicted of manslaughter rather than murder.
The high court said the judge has a duty to give the jury that manslaughter option "when it is raised by the evidence." The court set aside Adviento’s sentence of life in prison with parole and sent the case back to Circuit Court for a new trial.
Homeless man is accused of robbing pal
A 54-year-old homeless man in Hilo has been charged with allegedly beating and taking money from a friend at a downtown bus stop last week.
Michael Kapahu, who has no local address, was charged with second-degree robbery Friday. Bail was set at $25,000.
Hilo police said that at 12:03 p.m. Wednesday a 52-year-old Hakalau man said a friend took an undisclosed amount of money from him at Mooheau Bandstand. When the victim tried get his money back, the suspect reportedly punched him several times and fled, police said. The victim was treated for injuries to his face at Hilo Medical Center and released.
Fatality in fall ID’d as man from Honolulu
A 24-year-old man who died Sunday after falling about 80 feet onto a rocky beach area in Pepeekeo has been identified as Keylan Sato of Honolulu.
Hawaii County police are investigating the case as a public accident.
At 11:28 a.m. Sunday, Sato was reportedly hiking to shore to dive with friends when he fell, police said. Fire Department rescue personnel found him and took him to Hilo Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Paraglider is found dead on Maui road
Maui police are investigating the death of a 34-year-old paraglider Monday on Maui. Fire personnel responding to a 6:37 p.m. call found the man’s body at the 3.5-mile marker of Haleakala Crater Road.
