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A murder defendant told a state jury Thursday that he stabbed his cousin in self-defense.
Dean Matuu, 20, is on trial on a charge of second-degree murder in the Jan. 24, 2015, early morning stabbing death of 36-year-old Frank Kapesi in the Pearl City home they shared with other relatives.
The state describes Kapesi as Matuu’s uncle.
But Matuu said Thursday that Kapesi was his cousin.
A Honolulu medical examiner testified Tuesday that Kapesi died from stab wounds to his torso. Kapesi had one stab wound to his back and three to his chest.
The blade of a steak knife had broken off and lodged in one of the chest wounds. The medical examiner also said Kapesi had methamphetamine in his system.
Matuu said Thursday that he was about to eat some food he had prepared the night before when Kapesi confronted and yelled at him about eating all the food. He said he tried to get away from Kapesi but that Kapesi kept after him and cornered him.
“He was still yelling at me, ‘You f—a, f— you, I going beat you up and put you in the hospital,’” Matuu said.
He said he tried to calm Kapesi but that Kapesi started throwing punches at him. Matuu said he blocked the punches and grabbed Kapesi.
He said another cousin who lives in the house tried to break up the fight but
got slammed to the floor
by Kapesi.
“I got so scared. All I was thinking was protect myself from (Kapesi). I know for sure after he was done with (the other cousin), I was going to be next,” Matuu said.
He said he went to the kitchen, got a knife and stabbed Kapesi in the back while Kapesi was punching the other cousin on the floor. Matuu said he only remembers grabbing one knife and stabbing Kapesi once. Police found a second knife in the home.
After that, Matuu said, he put on some clothes and shoes and left the house still scared. He said he went to the nearest bus stop to calm himself down. When the bus arrived Matuu said he waved off the driver and stayed at the bus stop. That’s where police found him.
Matuu said he was scared of Kapesi because Kapesi had previously threatened and assaulted other relatives who lived in the house. He said in 2013 Kapesi sucker-punched the same cousin who got slammed to the floor, breaking the cousin’s nose and sending him to the hospital. In 2014, he said, Kapesi threatened to beat him up for no reason, threatened two uncles and beat one of them.
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