A Puna woman’s criminal record could be cleared of a charge stemming from aiding Justin Waiki following the 2018 fatal shooting of a Hawaii Police Department officer if she stays out of further trouble.
Taumi Carr, the last of the seven defendants accused of aiding Waiki following the fatal shooting of Officer Bronson Kaliloa in July 2018, was sentenced March 5 after entering a plea agreement in which she pleaded guilty to a single count of first-degree hindering prosecution, a Class C felony, in exchange for dropping a conspiracy to commit hindering charge.
Kona Circuit Court Judge Robert D.S. Kim sentenced Carr to four years probation with one year in jail, with credit for 59 days served and all remaining time suspended. Kim also granted a deferred acceptance of her guilty plea, which means if she complies with the conditions of her sentence, after four years she can have the conviction expunged from her criminal record.
During sentencing, Kim noted that after presiding over all seven cases, including a jury trial, in connection with aiding Waiki, he had full knowledge of the case. He stated Carr’s participation was relatively small compared to the others and the facts indicated it was a different defendant, Kiel Brende, who brought Waiki to her home and that she was previously threatened to be killed by Waiki. Further, Carr attempted to get Waiki to turn himself in, and when asked to talk to police she voluntarily met with detectives, made a full statement without benefit of a lawyer and voluntarily provided her password to unlock her cellphone. She also did not accompany Waiki when he attempted to evade police.
“The way this terrible tragic event unfolded, the defendant’s participation was not significant,” Kim said, according to court minutes.
The six other people charged in connection with aiding Waiki — Jamie Jason, Malia Lajala, Jorge Pagan-Torres, Krystle Ferreira, Brende and Mokihana Veincent — have each already been sentenced for their roles in the case.
Attempts to reach Kaua Jackson, the lead prosecutor on the case, and Hawaii Police Department Chief Paul Ferreira for comment about the closure of the case were unsuccessful as of press time Thursday.
Email Laura Ruminski at lruminski@westhawaiitoday.com.