Legislators seek answers about release of Kauai patient involved in fatal stabbing

Two state House members have sent letters to Family Court and a state hospital on Kauai, requesting records pertaining to a 21-year-old hospital patient who killed a 68-year-old woman and attacked three people one day after being released by state Family Court in December 2011.

State Reps. Karl Rhoads and Dee Morikawa said in a letter dated Wednesday they want to review the case to see "whether statutory changes to Family Court proceedings may be necessary to prevent future incidents of this nature."

Family members of hospital patient Shendon Chandler-Taniguchi said they were not notified about a Family Court hearing on Dec. 1, 2011, to determine whether the patient should be released, even though they had called police to have him committed.

Earlier this year, in an interview with the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, family members said they learned from a nurse that day that the courts had released Chandler-Taniguchi, and they found him wandering in Lihue. Family members said they took him to his grandfather’s home in Waimea in west Kauai.

The next day, Chandler-Taniguchi stabbed his grandfather, Anthony Chandler, 83, fatally stabbed neighbor Edita Padamada, and attacked two other neighbors, James Rick, 63, and Julie Berseid, 50.

An officer at the scene attempted to stop Chandler-Taniguchi, police said. Ignoring the officer’s verbal demands, Chandler-Taniguchi continued his attack and then turned toward the officer. The officer then fatally shot Chandler-Taniguchi.

An autopsy showed Chandler-Taniguchi had only trace amounts of pills used to treat psychiatric problems, indicating he had not taken his medications recently.

Padamada’s daughter, Duquesa, said without hiring an attorney she’s been unable to obtain police reports related to her mother’s death and court transcripts about the release of Chandler-Taniguchi.

Rhoads (D, Chinatown-Iwilei-Kalihi), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, sent the letters to Kauai District Judge Edmund Acoba and to Peter Klune, the regional chief executive officer of Mahelona Medical Center.

Rhoads and Morikawa (D, Niihau-Koloa-Kokee) said they’d like to receive the hospital and court records no later than Aug. 9 so that the Judiciary Committee has enough time to review the information.

State courts spokeswoman Tammy Mori said the courts can’t comment directly about the case. Mori said there is no procedure in place for the courts to notify family members after a defendant has been released from psychiatric care.