Couple charged in boy’s death
WAILUKU, Maui (AP) — A Maui man and his live-in girlfriend have been charged with murder in the death of the man’s 4-year-old son.
Thirty-two-year-old Kyle McKeown and 27-year-old Grace Lee-Nakamoto were charged with second-degree murder Thursday. Police say McKeown brought his son to Maui Memorial Medical Center Tuesday night when the boy was found unresponsive in the shower of their Wailuku home.
Police say an initial examination by emergency room doctors showed the child suffered severe blunt force trauma to his internal organs and died of his injuries on Wednesday.
McKeown and Lee-Nakamoto denied knowledge of how the boy was injured. They could not be reached for comment Thursday at the Wailuku police station where they are being held on $500,000 bail each.
The investigation is ongoing.
Exhibits sealed in shooting case
HONOLULU (AP) — A Hawaii judge will temporarily seal various exhibits in a defense motion to dismiss the case against a federal agent charged with murdering a man in a Waikiki McDonald’s.
Judge Karen Ahn ruled Thursday. She says a redacted copy of the motion filed on behalf of Christopher Deedy will be placed back into the court file but the original motion and attachments will remain temporarily sealed.
Deedy’s lawyer is asking to dismiss the case, saying Deedy was acting as a law enforcement officer and is therefore immune from prosecution.
Prosecutors asked to seal the motion, which includes surveillance footage from the restaurant where the shooting took place in November.
A lawyer for three news agencies sought to keep the record unsealed because they were filed in open court.
Panetta stresses isles’ importance
CAMP H.M. SMITH, Oahu (AP) — Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is telling troops Hawaii is important to advancing peace and security throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
Panetta spoke Thursday during a town hall meeting at Pacific Command headquarters on Oahu. He stopped briefly in the islands on his way to Asia.
The secretary says the military of the future will be smaller, agile, flexible, deployable, and on the cutting edge of technology.
Panetta will first stop in Singapore, where he will speak at an annual conference on regional security. He will also travel to Vietnam and India.
The Obama Administration earlier this year announced a new defense strategy that places greater emphasis on a U.S. military presence in the region in response to Asia’s growing economic importance and China’s rise as a military power.
Arson suspected in 2 Windward Oahu brush fires
KAILUA, Hawaii (AP) — Fire officials say arson is suspected in two Windward Oahu brush fires.
A fire that appeared to have started Tuesday above Kalaheo High School burned about 400 acres and got within 25 yards from some homes.
When that fire was mostly contained Wednesday afternoon, another fire broke out nearby and burned about two acres.
Fire Capt. Terry Seelig says investigators believe the blazes were intentionally set.
Both fires are now contained.
The fires required closing parts of the H-3 Freeway and Kailua Road on Wednesday. No injuries were reported.
