Perpetrators in beating of Kona security guard released
HONOLULU HI February 17 2024 The retrial verdict has been announced for two defendants previously convicted of assaulting a hotel security guard in 2018, resulting in severe injuries that left the victim paralyzed.
John Kanui, a security guard at a Kona hotel, was responding to a noise complaint in the parking lot when he was attacked by three individuals, leading to injuries that rendered him a quadriplegic.
The initial trial concluded a year later with Wesley Samoa and Natisha Tautalatasi receiving life sentences with the possibility of parole, while a third defendant, Lama Lauvao, was sentenced to 10 years for assault.
In 2022, an appeals court granted a retrial for Samoa and Tautalatasi. The Intermediate Court of Appeals said the prosecution violated rules during the trial by showing video of Kanui at a rehabilitation facility in Colorado.
The defendants argued that evidence of Kanui’s physical condition three months after the attack had no bearing on whether they, at the time of the incident, intended to cause his death.
In the verdict revealed Wednesday, both were found guilty of reckless endangering and assault but were released from custody, a decision that has left Kanui’s family in shock and disbelief.
Jennifer Farrell, Kanui’s daughter, expressed her grief and frustration, stating, “He was a victim. He didn’t deserve to go to work and not come home whole. He didn’t deserve to be paralyzed, a quadriplegic, struggling with illness due to his injuries, two years after the incident.”
She highlighted the injustice her father suffered, underscoring the family’s devastation over his condition and subsequent death while receiving care on the mainland.
Lauvao’s retrial is scheduled for later this year.
The Big Island Prosecutor’s Office commented on the recent verdict, expressing disappointment but respecting the jury’s decision. “While we are disappointed in the verdict, we respect the jury’s decision. Our office will remain resilient and continue to seek justice for victims,” the statement read.
