Letter: Probation in sex assault case a slap on the wrist

I was deeply saddened by the article titled, “Ex-HPD officer to get probation for assaulting girl, 5” (Star-Advertiser, May 29).

The child possibly will require psychiatry for the rest of her life, and part of her discomfort would be knowing about the slap of the wrist her longtime tormentor received for ruining her young life.

You can be sure that defense lawyers protecting pedophiles in the future will use this case as a landmark precedent, saying, “Sure, my client committed statutory rape because the victim was under 16, the age of consent in Hawaii, but at least the victim wasn’t as young as 5 as in Teddy Van Lerberghe’s case. Therefore, in all fairness, my client should not serve any jail time either.”

Plea bargaining is a part of life, but I personally feel that there should be some reasonable limits with this process.

David Yasuo Henna

McCully

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