Governor Lingle Pardoned 11 in first half of 2010

Governor Linda Lingle announced today that she granted pardons to 11 individuals in the first six months of this year.

“I have carefully reviewed each individual’s pardon request, which was also thoroughly reviewed by the Department of Public Safety, the Hawai‘i Paroling Authority and the Attorney General’s Office,” said Governor Lingle.  “The individuals broke the law, but they have served their sentences, kept their records clean and have proven that they are now leading law-abiding lives in the community.”  

The 11 individuals pardoned by the Governor are:

Godfrey K. S. L. Akaka, Jr.

Godfrey K. S. L. Akaka, Jr., 40, of Ho‘olehua, Moloka‘i, was convicted of being in possession of a loaded firearm (a felony) and hunting at night on private property without a permit (a misdemeanor) on September 8, 1999.  He was 28 at the time of his arrest.  Akaka pled guilty and was sentenced to 250 hours of community service, a $250 fine and five years probation.  He completed all conditions of his probation and was discharged from probation on September 7, 2004.  Akaka also had a 1988 arrest for a liquor violation as a minor that was dismissed.  Akaka was pardoned with express authorization to bear firearms on April 30, 2010.

Lovelyn K. Apilando

Lovelyn Ku‘ualoha Apilando, 49, of Kane‘ohe was arrested in 1993 for selling a quarter ounce of cocaine.  She was 32 at the time of her arrest.  Apilando was found guilty of three counts of promoting a dangerous drug in the first degree (felony class A), one count of attempted promoting a dangerous drug in the first degree (felony class A), one count of promoting a dangerous drug in the second degree (felony class B), and one count of promoting a dangerous drug in the third degree (felony class C).  She was sentenced to 10 years confinement for the class A and B felonies and five years for the class C felony.  In addition, she was ordered to pay $650, $550 and $275, respectively, in restitution.  In February 1996, she was released on parole and was discharged from parole on December 21, 1999.  In addition to the six convictions relating to the promotion of dangerous drugs, Apilando previously was found guilty of five misdemeanor convictions and two petty misdemeanors.  In total she has been arrested 21 times.  There have been no arrests since 1995.  

In May 2003, Apilando turned her residence into a residential living facility for recovering women alcoholics and drug addicts.  She is also a coordinator for Poailani substance abuse treatment for dual-diagnosis center.  Apilando sought the pardon in order to be able to volunteer at the women’s correctional center and bring Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings to the prison.  Apilando was pardoned on April 30, 2010.

Bernard D. Asuncion

Bernard Darryl Asuncion, 45, of Honolulu was arrested at the age of 21 for theft in the third degree in December 1986.  He pled no contest on a deferred acceptance of plea.  The case was dismissed as a result of the conditions having been met.  In May 1992, he was arrested for criminal contempt of court, a misdemeanor, and was fined $50.  In September 1995, he was arrested for promoting a detrimental drug in the third degree.  The incident involved smoking a marijuana cigarette at a Waikīkī hotel.  He was given another deferred acceptance of no contest plea until July 1996, at which time the case was dismissed.  Asuncion has had no other arrests or convictions since these cases.  Asuncion was pardoned on May 17, 2010.

James M. Bicket

James Marion Bicket, 73, who is retired and lives in Tampa, Florida, was convicted in 1971 of fraudulently obtaining drugs when he wrote his own prescription using a form from a doctor.  He was 33 when he was arrested.  He was sentenced to one year probation and a fine of $250.  He has had no other arrests or convictions.  In 1973, Bicket was granted a full and free pardon by then Acting Governor George Ariyoshi; however, the pardon did not expressly authorize Bicket to bear firearms.  Bicket was pardoned with express authority to bear firearms on May 11, 2010.

Steven A. Carman

Steven Anthony Carman, 39, who currently lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, was arrested in 1993 for selling anabolic steroids to an undercover officer.  He was 22 at the time of his arrest.  Carman was convicted in 1996 of two counts of promoting a harmful drug in the second degree, one count of promoting a harmful drug in the fourth degree and one count of prohibited acts related to drug paraphernalia. Carman was sentenced to five years probation and fined a total of $1,750.  He has been arrest-free since 1993.  Carman was pardoned on April 19, 2010.

Elizabeth B. Martin

On November 11, 1997, Elizabeth Brown Martin, 43, of Kane‘ohe was arrested for promoting a dangerous drug in the third degree and prohibited acts related to drug paraphernalia, both class C felonies.  She was found guilty and sentenced to five years probation with 60 days confinement.  In April 1999, Martin was arrested on new charges for promoting a dangerous drug and unlawful use of drug paraphernalia.  She entered into the Hawai‘i Drug Court program on August 12, 1999 and graduated on July 6, 2001.  The April 1999 charges were dismissed following Marin’s graduation from the program and she was discharged from probation.  Martin’s Hawai‘i criminal record also includes one conviction for prostitution and one criminal contempt of court.  She was also arrested for prostitution in Oregon (three offenses) and in California (two offenses) between 1982 and 1993.  Martin has had no further arrests since 2001.  Martin was pardoned for her November 1997 drug-related offenses on June 30, 2010.

Joseph F. Medina

Joseph Francisco Medina, 59 of Kea‘au, was arrested on February 15, 1996 for commercial promotion of marijuana in the second degree, possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia and promoting a detrimental drug in the second degree.  These charges stemmed from Medina’s alleged possession and cultivation of marijuana plants in his home in Kapa‘a at the time of his arrest.  Medina, who was 45 when he was arrested, was convicted for promoting a detrimental drug in the first degree, a class C felony, and was sentenced to one year confinement and five years probation.  He received his certificate of discharge from probation on November 26, 2001.  Medina’s criminal record shows a prior arrest in 1988 for abuse of a family member.  He has had no further arrests since 1996.  Medina was pardoned on June 30, 2010.

Victor D. K. Nahinu

Victor Dana Kalani Nahinu, 45, of ‘Ewa Beach was involved in a fight in a parking lot of a Waikīkī hotel in December 1984 in which a bystander who attempted to break up the fight was punched in the mouth by Nahinu.  Nahinu was charged with and pled guilty to disorderly conduct (a violation) and assault in the third degree (a misdemeanor).  He was sentenced to pay fines of $50 for each offense.  Nahinu, who was 18 years old at the time of the incident, has had no other arrests or convictions.  Nahinu was pardoned on May 10, 2010.

Norman M. W. Pang

Norman Mung Wong Pang, 65, of Wai‘anae was charged with disorderly conduct in 1972 following an argument with a hotel shopkeeper in Waikīkī in which he became belligerent and tried to punch a hotel security guard and tried to attack police officers who had arrived on the scene.  Pang, who was 27 when the incident occurred, said he had too much too drink that evening, pled guilty and was sentenced to pay a $65 fine, $25 of which was suspended on condition that he remain arrest- and conviction-free for six months.  Pang said he was also arrested for driving while under the influence subsequent to this incident, but the charge was dismissed.  

Pang recently has been accused by the Humane Society for lack of appropriate care for animals on his property following the death of his wife, whose nonprofit corporation took in and cared for stray animals and those in differing conditions.  The Prosecutor’s Office declined prosecution.

Other than this recent matter involving the animals on his property for which prosecution was declined, Pang’s record has been clean since his arrest and conviction 38 years ago.  Pang was pardoned with authority to bear firearms on May 17, 2010.

Deanne P. Rezentes

On August 3, 2006, Deanne Pualani Rezentes, 36, of Honolulu was arrested for operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant.  Rezentes was found to have a blood alcohol level of .093 percent.  She was found guilty of a petty misdemeanor and ordered to pay a $200 fine and a $30 criminal injury compensation fee, had her driver’s license suspended for 90 days, and ordered to have 14 hours of assessment and treatment in the Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Program.  Rezentes completed her sentence.  She has no other criminal record.  Rezentes was pardoned on June 28, 2010.

Lloyd M. Yamada

Lloyd Masao Yamada, 64, of Wahiawa, was convicted in July 1965 for sexual intercourse with a female under 16, and was sentenced to six months confinement on weekends and five years probation.  While the girl initially reported that the sexual contact was not consensual, she changed her story and admitted to medical professionals and the police that the intercourse was consensual.  Yamada was 19 at the time of the incident and he and the victim, his 15-year-old neighbor, were then in a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship. Yamada’s criminal record also includes an arrest and conviction for burglary in the first degree in September 1965; an arrest for reckless driving in 1980 and a conviction for reckless driving in 1984.  He has led an arrest-free life ever since.  Yamada was pardoned on June 30, 2010.

Governor Lingle has pardoned a total of 88 individuals since taking office.