Hawaii outlawed capital punishment in 1957, but federal prosecutors can recommend seeking the death penalty for cases here that fall under the U.S. District Court jurisdiction. The U.S. attorney general must authorize it and has done so for two trials.
But it’s been contemplated in several other cases. Here’s where the death penalty has been contemplated.
DEATH PENALTY AUTHORIZED
» Naeem Williams was convicted of first-degree murder in the death of his 5-year-old daughter in July 2005. On Friday, the jury returned a sentence of life without parole. His was the first capital murder case to go to trial in Hawaii since the death penalty was banned.
» Richard Lee Tuck "China" Chong was charged with first-degree murder in the 1997 shooting of William Noa Jr. at a Makaha beach over a $100 drug debt. He later pleaded guilty in exchange for a life prison term, but in 2001 was found dead in his cell of an apparent suicide.
DEATH PENALTY REJECTED
» Renee Beth Smith, a Navy wife, was charged with first-degree murder for suffocating her 13-week-old daughter in 1997. She pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 17 1/2 years in prison.
» Francisco Davalos and Hector Lopez were charged with first-degree murder in a drug-related Hawaii island double murder in 1997. Both were sentenced to life without parole.
» Roberto Miguel and Bryson Jose were charged with first-degree murder in the 1998 shooting death of Army helicopter pilot John Latchum Jr. at the Army Waianae recreation center. Both were convicted, but the convictions were overturned by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. In 2006 federal prosecutors agreed to sentences of 25 years each on reduced charges.
» Eugene Frederick Boyce III was charged with first-degree murder in the 1998 shooting death of a Hawaii island park ranger. In October 2006, he was acquitted by reason of insanity.
» Lei Shi, charged with murdering the captain and first mate of a Taiwanese fishing vessel in international waters off Hawaii island in 2002, was sentenced to 36 years in prison.
» Rodney Joseph Jr., Ethan Motta and Kevin Gonsalves were charged with racketeering involving murder in a 2004 shooting at Pali Golf Course. Gonsalves later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 27 years; Joseph and Motta were convicted at trial and sentenced to life without parole.
