Several with Maui Ties Among List of 44 Pardoned by Lingle

By Wendy Osher

The list of people pardoned by Governor Linda Lingle includes several with Maui ties.  Governor Linda Lingle pardoned a total of 44 people in the final five months of her term in office.  That brings the total number of Lingle pardons to 132 over eight years.

Governor Linda Lingle. Photo courtsy www.governorlindalingle.com.

The list includes Daniel Lopez Aquirre, 49, of Kihei, who was arrested and found guilty of abuse of a family or household member.  The arrest stemmed from an August 1998 incident in which Aquirre reportedly struck his 15-year-old daughter on the leg with a broom handle while trying to assist his wife in calming the girl down.  Aquirre was sentenced to 48 hours of confinement and one year of probation.  Aquirre was subsequently awarded sole custody of the girl when he and his wife divorced.  The pardon was issued on November 24, 2010.

Also pardoned was Cheryl Fay Coulter, who was arrested when Maui Police responded to a domestic report in December of 1984.  Coulter, who was 27 at the time, was arrested on charges of third degree assault and resisting arrest.  The charges were dismissed, and she was instead found guilty of disorderly conduct and sentenced to pay a $25 fine.  Coulter who is now 53 and living in California, was pardoned with express authorization to bear firearms on October 6, 2010.

In a more recent incident, Janet Carol Howard, 65, of Utah was convicted of harassment and disorderly conduct for a December 2008 incident at Lihue Airport.  During the incident, Howard reportedly would not stop yelling, confronted Transportation Security Administration (TA) personnel, and slapped a TSA agent, according to information released by the Governor’s office.  Howard has had no other arrest or conviction and was pardoned on December 2, 2010.

Eleven years ago, Gerald Wayne San Clemente, 48, was arrested for driving with a suspended license. He was originally ticketed by Maui Police in the mid-1980s for driving without insurance and subsequently failed to provide proof of insurance. San Clamente, who now lives in Honolulu, was sentenced to a $55 fine.  He was pardoned with express authority to bear firearms on November 23, 2010.

The Maui Circuit Court sentenced Darralynn Jean Haunani Freeman, 43, of Aiea to a year probation and four days confinement in 1998 for hindering prosecution.  Freeman was arrested in August 1997 for alleged connection to a robbery incident.  Freeman was previously convicted in September of 1994 of criminal contempt when she violated a restraining order.  Since the 1998 conviction, she had had no other arrests.  Freeman was pardoned on December 1, 2010.

Two other people who now live on Maui were pardoned as well.  George F. Medeiros, 32, was convicted twice for shoplifting –once in May of 1999 at the age of 21, and once a year later in May of 2000.  Both times, he pled guilty and paid a $50 fine.  He had two prior arrests.  Medeiros, who recently moved to Maui, was pardoned on August 23, 2010.

Shirley E. Mapson, 66, was arrested eight times between 1976 and 1984, resulting in eight convictions, including one for felony (larceny theft) and seven misdemeanors (four larceny theft, one theft in the second degree, and two criminal contempt of court).  Mapson committed her first offense when she was 22 years old, and has had a clean record for the past 25 years.  Mapson, who now lives on Maui, was pardoned on August 3, 2010.

“In reviewing a request for a pardon, I consider carefully the individual’s unique circumstances, especially what the person has done to turn his or her life around, remain crime-free and whether he or she is likely to reoffend,” said Governor Lingle.  “In granting these pardons, I believe these individuals have taken the necessary actions over the years to rehabilitate themselves and lead productive, law-abiding lives,” said Lingle.

In order to be granted a pardon, the individual must have a proven record of achievement that demonstrates he or she has led a productive, useful and law-abiding life following a conviction and the successful completion of his or her sentence and parole.

A pardon clears an individual’s record for the specified conviction(s).  It further restores the rights and privileges that were taken away because of the conviction(s), with some exceptions.  Restored rights include the right to vote, seek and hold public office, and serve on a jury.

Additional pardons granted by Gov. Lingle since July 1, 2010 are: Joseph Kauloku Aka (aka Joyce Aka), Ron Matthew Amor, Domingo T. Bachiller, Sr., Charlton Chandler Cabral , John De La Varty Calvert, Augustina Choy, Lee James Costa, James Larry Fernandez, John James Cruz Figueroa, Ramon H. Garza, Mark Ainley Hayden, Hui-Hsiang (Emily) Hsu, Gavin Toshima Hubbard, Douglas Kalei Hurdle, Earl Kamaka Jeremiah, Michael Ray Johnson, Jamyn Kalani Kaku, Dusty Puanani Kamoku, Durand Mauna Kealanahele, Dorothy Otsumi (aka Faalafua) Keolanui, Everett Kuikahi, Theodore Lacaden, Sr., Woletta Bobette Laufenberg, Juan C. Marti, Levin Akira Matsukawa, Edward Francis Murphy, Sr., Heather Maile O’Connell, Diane Elizabeth Patalano, Judith (Crowder) Rice, Dorothy Heide Robinson, Steven Rosenberg, Thomas Matthew Ryan, Terry Michael Scott, Thomas Jonah Kalani Tokioka, Danielle Chloe Tucker, Kelsey John Valenciano, Paul Dennis Watanabe.

Governor Linda Lingle pardoned a total of 2 people in 2003, 26 in 2004, 17 in 2005, 21 in 2006, 5 in 2007, 6 in 2008, 0 in 2009 and 55 in 2010 for a total of 132 pardons.

(Supporting information courtesy Office of the Governor)

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