HPD shows video refuting that protester’s fingers were twisted

The Honolulu Police Department denied that it mistreated a 62-year-old opponent of AES Corp.’s Kahuku wind turbine project Thursday.

Acting Police Chief John McCarthy showed a video of the entire handcuffing of Kent Fonoimoana at a news conference Friday. Fonoimoana claimed his fingers were twisted during his arrest.

Police arrested him for disobeying police when he blocked trucks carrying wind turbine parts in Kahuku.

He alleged that before being placed in a police van, an officer twisted four fingers, but the video did not show that occurred before he entered the van.

On Thursday, HPD released video of Stetson “Mana” Morales, 19, who alleged an HPD officer punched him and deployed a Taser by pressing it against his body Sunday after he chained his neck to a gate in Kalaeloa also in protest.

McCarthy said Thursday that none of the officers making the arrests carry a Taser. (All the bicycle officers were carrying Tasers.) Once a Taser is deployed, it would be recorded.

On Friday, McCarthy said one officer near Morales was carrying a Taser, and that weapon, upon examination, was found not to be used.