KEALAKEKUA — A well-known Hawaiian musician acquitted Tuesday of sex assault and other offenses will still have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
Keoki K. Kahumoku, whose music appears on five Grammy Award-winning slack-key guitar compilation albums, was acquitted by reason of physical or mental disease, disorder or defect of two counts each of first-degree sex assault and kidnapping, and granted conditional release by Kona Circuit Judge Robert D.S. Kim.
The verdict followed a stipulated facts bench trial and motion for acquittal by Kahumoku’s public defender, Wendy DeWeese.
Kim granted Kahumoku conditional release, imposing a variety of conditions, including that Kahumoku must continue to obtain psychological treatment until clinically discharged, submit to drug and alcohol tests as directed and register as a sexual offender for the rest of his life, among others.
The charges from which Kahumoku was acquitted stem from incidents that occurred May 6-7, 2015, in Ka‘u.
According to the stipulated facts, the victim identified Kahumoku as a family friend. She further stated Kahumoku came to her residence about 8:30 a.m. and began banging on the door, repeating her name.
Once inside, the suspect pulled the victim into her bedroom where the alleged assault occurred. According to the victim’s statement, Kahumoku returned the next day and assaulted her again.
Email Chelsea Jensen at cjensen@westhawaiitoday.com.