A 31-year-old Puna patrol officer suspected of illegally entering a Ka‘u home early Tuesday morning and assaulting a 20-year-old man remained in custody late Friday afternoon as police detectives investigated the case.
“We’re conferring with the prosecutors to determine if immediate charges are appropriate,” Hawaii Police Chief Benjamin Moszkowicz said about the officer, Mark Kealoha Kaili Jr.
Kaili and and another man, identified by police as 27-year-old Cody Kuaili‘aimoku Kanahele, allegedly entered the Naalehu home where the victim lives. Both were reportedly wearing masks.
During the incident, the victim’s grandfather attempted to intervene, and in the process he unmasked one of the suspects, later allegedly identified as Kaili.
According to police, Kaili was off-duty during the alleged incident, as well as at the time of his arrest Friday morning at his Hawaiian Paradise Park home on suspicion of first-degree burglary and third-degree assault.
Police say Kanahele and the victim are cousins, but Moszkowicz was uncertain if Kaili and the victim are acquainted.
“I don’t know if we’ve uncovered that. I don’t think we’ve gotten that far into the investigation,” he said. “We know that Officer Kaili and the other suspect are acquaintances and have known each other for some time. But we don’t know the relationship yet between Officer Kaili and the victim.”
Kanahele was arrested Tuesday a short time after the incident was reported. According to police, he was charged later the same day with first-degree burglary and assault, but the state’s Judiciary website has yet no record of the charges being taken to court, which would indicate Kanahele posted bail or was otherwise released from custody.
Asked it police have identified a motive for the alleged home invasion, Moszkowicz replied, “Not that I know of.”
“I think it was some sort of family dispute, and what preceded was the cousin going over to the Ka‘u house on Tuesday. But as far as exactly what that is, I don’t know,” he said.
Moszkowicz said there are no allegations that Kaili and Kanahele took anything from the victim or the home, but the burglary allegation comes from the pair reportedly entering the home without permission “with intent to commit a crime therein.”
In addition to the criminal investigation opened by the East Hawaii Criminal Investigations Section, a standard internal administrative investigation into Kaili’s alleged actions has been opened by HPD’s Office of Professional Standards, the department’s Internal Affairs unit.
Kaili has been placed on leave without pay pending the outcome of the investigation.
“It’s a little unusual for us to put out a release about an arrest unless we charge people or come back with some additional information after we’ve charged someone,” Moszkowicz said. ”But I want the public to know that we take all allegations of misconduct seriously.
“As with all criminal defendants, it is important to remember that Kanahele and Kaili are considered innocent until proven guilty.”
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
