Trial ordered in death of Maui inmate at Lahaina cell block

A federal judge has ordered a jury trial in the suit alleging the wrongful death of an inmate who died while in police custody on Maui.  47-year-old Dennis Wereb died September 28, 2008 while being held at the two-cell Lahaina station. 

Wereb was arrested for terroristic threatening after police received a report that a man matching his description allegedly showed a knife to juveniles while riding the bus. 

The suit alleges Wereb death was discovered 27-hours after his last recorded movement, although visual surveillance was observed through the department’s video monitoring system.

The trial is scheduled for September in U.S. District Court in Honolulu.