KEALAKEKUA — Not guilty pleas were entered Friday by a woman and two men accused of attempted murder after brutally assaulting a hotel security guard earlier this month.
Wesley Samoa, 30, of Kona, and Natisha Tautalatasi, 41, and Lama Lauvao, 30, both of Honolulu, each pleaded not guilty to a single charge of second-degree attempted murder filed in connection with the Sept. 17 incident at the Kona Seaside Hotel. Judge Melvin H. Fujino set trial for Jan. 29, 2018.
After entering not guilty pleas, each defendant’s attorney sought supervised release or a reduction in bail for their client.
Before ruling on the motions, Fujino questioned each defendant on their financial status. It was revealed that Samoa is a security officer at a resort in Kona. Tautalatasi and Lauvao are significant others who reside in Honolulu where Lauvao is a cook and Tautalatasi is a caregiver.
Fujino ultimately maintained bail at $250,000. The defendants, who each appeared wearing Hawaii Community Correctional Center orange-and-whites and shackled, remain in custody.
As Sheriffs Deputies escorted the three from the courtroom, family and friends who filled the gallery verbalized their support, telling the defendants “love you,” “bye daddy,” “I’m praying for you” and other uplifting statements.
After the hearing, prosecutors declined to provide an update on the victim’s condition, but confirmed the charges remain filed as attempted murder. During a preliminary hearing held Sept. 21, however, a victim witness counsel testified the 65-year-old man remained on life support at The Queen’s Medical Center on Oahu.
The assault occurred about 12:30 a.m. Sept. 17. According to Hawaii Police, the defendants became involved in a verbal confrontation with the victim but it escalated into the three individuals physically assaulting the guard.
The incident was caught on surveillance camera. It was divulged, also during the preliminary hearing, that the beating lasted more than 20 minutes with Samoa, Lauvao and Tautalatasi simultaneously striking the guard multiple times. Tautalatasi was also captured on the video kicking the victim multiple times while he was on the ground motionless.
A Kona Community Hospital emergency room doctor who treated the victim before he was flown to Oahu testified during the Sept. 21 hearing that the 63-year-old suffered a cervical spine fracture.
She classified the injuries as serious.
