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Once again, the power of video has given the public a rare, needed glimpse into misconduct by police.
The surveillance video is not new; it is the one taken in September in an alleged illegal game room, where plainclothes officer Vincent Morre was seen kicking, hitting, then throwing a chair at bystanders. He pleaded guilty in federal court to basically misusing his police powers and will be sentenced in August.
The new fallout from that incident is the attempted cover-up by two colleagues. Former volunteer reserve officer Joseph Becera, 77, pled guilty June 22 for deliberately concealing knowledge of a felony by omitting Morre’s assault in the police report, then lying when FBI agents questioned him. Also expected to plead guilty Wednesday is police officer Nelson Tamayori for failing to report the assault.
Circling the wagons to shield a colleague’s bad behavior can’t be condoned. "These are serious charges that underscore the importance of reporting misconduct," Honolulu Police Deputy Chief Dave Kajihiro said in a statement.