WAILUKU, Maui (KHON2) — It was an emotional day in the Maui District Court. The man accused of fatally shooting police officer Suzanne O appeared in court for his preliminary hearing.
Today’s hearing marked the first time we’ve heard details of how prosecutors believe the deadly shooting unfolded.
Maui police officer Mousa Kawas responded to the terroristic threatening call in Paia and said he told Officer Suzanne O to check around a concrete block because he couldn’t see around it. He broke down on the stand describing the moment he saw his colleague, Officer O, go down.
“I heard a ‘pop’ and I hear Officer O scream and I turn to face her and she turns around and faces us, grabs her chest and falls to the ground,” said Kawas, stopping several times to catch his breath and wipe away tears.
The officers were responding to the call from Paia Sugar Mill worker Tim Willems, who described his confrontation with Kaneholani.
“He’s looking right at me, telling me to turn off the light with his right hand, telling me to turn off the light, turn off the light, fires right at me, looking right directly at the light,” said Willems.
Clembert Kaneholani, dressed in an orange jumpsuit and shackles, kept his eyes down for much of the hearing.
The 38-year-old is charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder and five firearms offenses for the shooting death of Maui Officer Suzanne O last Friday.
Prosecutors presented the guns Kaneholani allegedly used in the shooting. His public defender argued that the state’s case relies heavily on eyewitness statements and circumstantial evidence.
“It was a decent possibility that the person you were illuminating or that area you were illuminating that person could have crawled away and left the property, you thought that was a decent possibility as well?” asked Deputy Public Defender Zachary Raidmae.
“Yes,” responded Willems.
Legal analysts say the charges Kaneholani faces are among the most serious in Hawaii’s law.
“This is a police officer involved shooting where the police officer was a victim, and so the charge that applies to this case is murder in the first degree. It’s the highest charge that we have in the state of Hawaii. It’s punishable by life in prison without the possibility of parole,” said Attorney Megan Kau.
Today’s gallery is once again filled with Maui police officers. Officer O is the first Maui officer in 70 years to be killed in the line of duty.
A five-year member of the force, Chief John Pelletier told us earlier this week that his department is still grieving, but determined to see the case through.
“It’s not just showing up today. It’s showing up each and every day, and we’ll continue to do that,” said Chief Pelletier. “The things I’ve been talking about for almost four years now – about making sure that you’re part of something bigger than just yourself — I think you’re gonna see that today. But they’re very much wanting to make sure that justice is done for her, and we’re gonna be relentless in our pursuit of it, I can assure you of that.”
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The hearing will continue on Friday.