A judge on Monday released a 34-year-old Kurtistown man charged with four felonies in connection with a Thursday domestic incident over the objection of prosecutors.
Hilo District Judge Jeffrey Hawk granted the motion by Deputy Public Defender Jonas Krave and freed Leonard Defan on court-supervised release without monetary bail over the objection of Deputy Prosecutor Kevin Soong.
Defan is charged with domestic abuse aggravated by strangulation, domestic abuse witnessed by a child or children age 14 or under, unlawful imprisonment and first-degree terroristic threatening.
All of the charges are Class C felonies that carry a potential five-year prison sentence upon conviction.
Defan had been in police custody in lieu of $40,000 bail since his release.
According to a statement by County Prosecutor Kelden Waltjen, the victim of the abuse was Defan’s wife or significant other, and took place in the presence of four minor children.
Hawk ordered Defan to appear for a preliminary hearing at 2 p.m. Oct. 20.