Things at Saguaro are declining rapidly Kat has been told. Our men are facing lots of retaliation since the population of Hawai`i inmates is decreasing. Sadly, the Mainland branch appears to care little for the safety and well-being of our men there. They seem to be more interested in pleasing CCA than actually following the law and the constitution. PSD needs a major house cleaning.
More problems at the Department of Public Safety…
Suicide at Halawa Monday…
Father questions system after son’s death in prison
By Ron MizutaniUpdated: Thursday, April 11, 2013, 7:20 pm
Published: Thursday, April 11, 2013, 6:12 pm
“Darius Puni-Mau grabbed headlines last October after escaping from state custody at Circuit Court. His family is now mourning his death, which is under investigation.
Kalani Mau knows his 22-year-old son made mistakes in his young life, but questions if the state did all it could to prevent his death.
Kalani is overwhelmed with emotion when he thinks about his Sunday visit at Halawa Correctional Facility.
“Ended with the visit with a hug that was so meaningful. He put his head on me and I held him and I didn’t realize that was going to be the last time I seen my son,” Kalani said.
The following night Darius committed suicide in his cell. …”
Our hearts go out to Ikaika’s `ohana. Please send them your good thoughts during this incredibly sad time for them and for all families with incarcerated loved ones…
Ain’t No Sunshine….
Not So Public: Hawaii Withholds Prison Death Records, Gets Sued
By Nick Grube 04/12/2013
“A law firm has paid the Hawaii Department of Public Safety $5,300 for public records, but state officials have yet to produce a single document, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday by the ACLU of Hawaii.
The records pertain to wrongful death cases of two Hawaii inmates who died while in the custody of Corrections Corporation of America, a private prison company that has a lucrative contract to house thousands of the state’s prisoners on the mainland.”
ACLU Lawsuit: Hawaii Department of Public Safety in Violation of ‘Open Records’ Law
“The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii Foundation (“ACLU”) filed a lawsuit in First Circuit Court today on behalf of the law firm Rosen, Bien, Galvan & Grunfeld, LLLP (“RBGG”). The suit, against the Hawaii Department of Public Safety (“PSD”), seeks immediate access to public records in compliance with Hawaii’s Uniform Information Practices Act (“UIPA,” otherwise known as Hawaii’s “open records” law).
By law, the State is required to respond to UIPA requests within ten days; even where extenuating circumstances exist, the State is required to at least begin providing access to documents within twenty business days after the person requesting the records pre-pays for those records. RBGG filed a formal request for government records with the DPS in September 2012, seeking documents relevant to the wrongful death cases of two Hawaii prisoners held at Corrections Corporation of America (“CCA”) prisons. Seven months later, and after RBGG pre-paid over $5,300 (as requested by PSD), not a single document has been produced. The lawsuit alleges that the mainland CCA lawyers representing the State of Hawaii in the wrongful death cases instructed PSD not to release the documents, in violation of state law.”
Sadly, this seems to be pro-forma. The Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation is having the same problem getting documents for their Religious Freedom lawsuit. It is going to take all of us to force the government to open their records in cases where constitutional rights are being violated.
Community Alliance on Prisons 