Two companions of an 18-year-old Kalihi man charged with killing a 38-year-old Ewa Beach man said the suspect kicked the victim in the chest, knocking him to the ground, after the victim blocked their car, yelled and swore at them and threw punches at the suspect, according to court documents.
Gerime Bradley is charged with manslaughter in the beating death of John Howard. Bradley’s bail was set at $200,000.
The incident occurred at about 12:35 a.m. March 23 in Ewa Beach. According to a police affidavit filed in Honolulu District Court on Tuesday, Howard was shirtless and drinking in front of his house on Komana Street. One witness told police that the victim was "yelling and possibly kicking vehicles," the affidavit said.
Other witnesses said there were three men involved in the incident.
On March 28 one of the three men told police that the suspect drove him and another man to Komana Street in the suspect’s dark blue Lexus sedan, according to the affidavit, and the victim was "standing in the middle of the road blocking their path of travel." The victim also was "yelling and swearing at them," the affidavit said.
The victim then approached the Lexus, threatened the suspect who was driving and "threw multiple punches at the suspect through the vehicle’s open window," the other passenger told police March 29,according to the affidavit.
Both passengers told police the suspect parked the car several houses down from the victim. The suspect took off his shirt and walked back to where the victim was standing, with the two passengers following, the affidavit said.
The two passengers said the suspect kicked the victim in the upper torso, knocking him to the ground.
As the victim lay in the middle of Komana Street, one of the male passengers took a picture of the victim with a cellphone.
Bradley’s preliminary hearing will be held Thursday in District Court.
Bradley’s attorney also has asked that the suspect be released on his own recognizance or is seeking reduction of his $200,000 bail.
The medical examinerhas determined that Howard died March 24 at the hospital of "complications due to blunt force head injury."
