Some Hawaiians support DOI efforts

U.S. Department of the Interior officials heard in person from plenty of kanaka maoli opposed to the idea of Native Hawaiians seeking a form of sovereignty similar to that granted American Indian tribes and Alaska Natives. That outpouring of testimony at a series of hearings held statewide this summer doesn’t tell the whole story, though.

The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement and other Native Hawaiian groups have submitted written testimony that includes 2,000 statements of support for a process to facilitate a government-to-government relationship between the U.S. and Native Hawaiians, known as federal recognition.

The written testimony was submitted Tuesday, the deadline to speak up on the issue.

Acquitted after trying to escape

Isn’t it ironic? Teddy Munet was acquitted of murder, but he didn’t walk out of court a free man.

The 31-year-old Oahu man went straight back to prison, where he’s serving time for escaping while being escorted to a pre-trial hearing in 2013 — a hearing on the murder charge of which he was eventually acquitted. Munet’s 12-hour escapade cost him 10 years.