www.starbulletin.com > News > Aug. 13, 2009
WITHNESSES DIFFER ON IOLANI PALACE ASSAULT
Which defendant struck a palace manager with a gate is in question
By Star-Bulletin staff
Prosecution witnesses gave differing accounts of an assault of an Iolani Palace employee during an incident on the palace grounds last summer.
Donald Alfred Love-Boltz, 74, and Robert Roggasch, 70, are on trial in state court for second-degree assault. The state says the two men used a dangerous instrument -- the gate -- to cause serious bodily injury to Friends of Iolani Palace facilities manager Betty Jean Noelani Ah Yuen on Aug. 15, 2008.
Kippen de Alba Chu, Friends of Iolani Palace executive director, said he saw a man who matches Roggasch's description use the pedestrian gate next to the Hawaii State Library "as a battering ram" to strike Ah Yuen three times in the back. He said the man appeared to be pushing the gate "with all of his might." He said he saw Ah Yuen push back.
Iolani Palace trial
A year after sovereignty protestors stormed Iolani Palace the legal battles continue. Today two men went on trial for assaulting a palace employee.
[ Watch ]
James Wright, an attorney, said he saw another man shove Ah Yuen against a concrete pillar next to the gate before Love-Boltz struck her several times in the back with the gate. He said a Honolulu police sergeant witnessed the incident but declined to intervene.
Ah Yuen said it was Roggasch who delivered the first strike with the gate, which hit her on the left side of her body and launched her backward against the concrete pillar. When she turned to push back, she said Love-Boltz and another man joined Roggasch, striking her three more times with the gate.
Ah Yuen said she went to the Queen's Medical Center later that evening with neck and back pain and was given Tylenol and codeine.
The state says the third man who swung the gate is Norman Abihai.
Joe Self, special agent for the state Department of the Attorney General, said there is a warrant for Abihai's arrest but he has not been able to find him.
Love-Boltz and Roggasch were at Iolani Palace on the Admission Day holiday last year with a group from Maui calling itself Kingdom of Hawaii, Nation.
Seven members of the group, including self-proclaimed heir to the Hawaiian throne James Akahi, entered the palace after hours and were arrested for burglary. A state judge dismissed the charges against six of them and a state jury found Akahi guilty last month of trespass instead.
Prosecution witnesses gave differing accounts of an assault of an Iolani Palace employee during an incident on the palace grounds last summer.
Donald Alfred Love-Boltz, 74, and Robert Roggasch, 70, are on trial in state court for second-degree assault. The state says the two men used a dangerous instrument -- the gate -- to cause serious bodily injury to Friends of Iolani Palace facilities manager Betty Jean Noelani Ah Yuen on Aug. 15, 2008.
Kippen de Alba Chu, Friends of Iolani Palace executive director, said he saw a man who matches Roggasch's description use the pedestrian gate next to the Hawaii State Library "as a battering ram" to strike Ah Yuen three times in the back. He said the man appeared to be pushing the gate "with all of his might." He said he saw Ah Yuen push back.
Iolani Palace trial
A year after sovereignty protestors stormed Iolani Palace the legal battles continue. Today two men went on trial for assaulting a palace employee.
[ Watch ]
James Wright, an attorney, said he saw another man shove Ah Yuen against a concrete pillar next to the gate before Love-Boltz struck her several times in the back with the gate. He said a Honolulu police sergeant witnessed the incident but declined to intervene.
Ah Yuen said it was Roggasch who delivered the first strike with the gate, which hit her on the left side of her body and launched her backward against the concrete pillar. When she turned to push back, she said Love-Boltz and another man joined Roggasch, striking her three more times with the gate.
Ah Yuen said she went to the Queen's Medical Center later that evening with neck and back pain and was given Tylenol and codeine.
The state says the third man who swung the gate is Norman Abihai.
Joe Self, special agent for the state Department of the Attorney General, said there is a warrant for Abihai's arrest but he has not been able to find him.
Love-Boltz and Roggasch were at Iolani Palace on the Admission Day holiday last year with a group from Maui calling itself Kingdom of Hawaii, Nation.
Seven members of the group, including self-proclaimed heir to the Hawaiian throne James Akahi, entered the palace after hours and were arrested for burglary. A state judge dismissed the charges against
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Your words are wise. Yes, early on I heard that was the reason that woman pounded on the car. but they kept up with their agenda and most people didn't understand why that was happening. That was blatantly twisting the facts.
On the 21st, we are having a march and demonstration from Ala Moana Beach Park, up Atkinson Dr. to the Convention Center where there is a program planned to counter what they are trying to do there from 10am to 1pm and then 2pm attending the forum inside which Jon Osorio and Keanu Sai, I believe will be giving dissertations. There will also be a ceremony at the Palace around 6pm with oli protesting the annexation and Statehood. Ask Puanani Rogers what they are planning on Kaua'i; she will know. Again, much aloha to all that will participate in all those activities and hope others will join in to make the statement loud and clear no matter what group they belong to or not. This is for Hawai'i nationals to stand up and be counted in defending their national rights as a Hawai'i national and truth-seekers. One doesn't need to be kanaka maoli; but seekers of truth and justice. The police will be directing traffic to safeguard the marchers. It will be a good day for us and hope you can participate on O'ahu or Kaua'i or whatever neighbor island which people there cannot afford to join us in Honolulu. This is an all-out effort joined in by various sovereign groups and individuals.
Mahalo nui for the details regarding August 21st. I am planning to be there as this is a momumental moment in our history where we need to come together in large numbers to show our opposition to the continued occupation of our Hawaiian nation. We need to join in solidarity as na kupuna did when signing the Ku'e Petitions protesting annexation 112 years ago. No doubt na kupuna will be with us that day.
Much appreciation to the organizers of this event. I am looking forward to returning to the seat of government of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
E kala mai ia'u for the typos which I couldn't correct after discovering them after I posted my comments... like Alalakea instead of Alakea and perscecuting which should have been persecuting. My fingers are sometimes too lolo for my own good.
Although I don't agree with what Akahi Nui ma did, there was conflicting versions since day one of the offense. It turns out that they employees were drinking champagne before the incident occurred as admitted by Kippen-chu. Kawananakoa's attorney was present and that is who she was trying to let onto the palace grounds. Why was she allowed to let him in when they had a security guard or even the burly Kippen-Chu go himself to let the attorney in? A lot of this story related to the incident seemed contrived and I mentioned it to the news papers but none brought out those facts. Sensationalism was the key; especially when there was a cop present and the only thing he recalled was there was a verbal exchange. The State police was only a couple of minutes walk away on Alalakea and they never showed up till much later. Why was that? To blame the HPD was disingenuous. If he saw an altercation, and it wasn't physical that he witnessed, he could observe the incident and talk to them while waiting for the State marshalls to show up; which he did. The papers blew this up way out of proportion. The DLNR seized the opportunity to racially profile and assault all Hawaiians and single them out with their new ruling for guidelines at the palace grounds.
If the women feared for their safety, why did this woman go by herself to get the attorney by the gate to bring him in? It was stated that she had been drinking. Kippen-Chu stated that they had just uncorked the bottle before she went out to let the attorney in. You are correct that all this should have been thought out better and should have never happened the way it went down. What is unbelieveable is that the perpetrators couldn't find the Throne room as there are only two major rooms on that level of the Palace besides the foyer; the dining room and the throneroom.
In the investigation, one of the officers found a chain outside of the palace building but didn't report it and it is still missing for evidence. That was sloppy work in my opinion. All three entities involved handled it ineptly to create this situation to suit their agenda and validate their actions. At least they didn't destroy it and steal the contents like they did in 1893 till 1964. Those perpetrators were never prosecuted till today. Many of the contents are still missing and thanks to donors, much of the building has been repaired which is still ongoing. I can remember when the U.S. used it for government offices, and the capitol building before the new one was built. I remember when the Iolani barracks was across the street where the now existing capitol building now stands. So, tell me, who trashed the Iolani Palace the most? Recently they dubbed it the Iolani Palace MONUMENT; a historical State Park.
Who initially maintained it and tried to restore the building and tell the history of the building, it was Hawaiian societies and organizations which eventually taken over by the Friends of Iolani Palace. If Hawaiians didn't step in to save it; it would have fallen into greater disrepair. Something to think about. It was the actions of the Hawaiians that saved the building and the grounds; the very persons that the DLNR and the State who are perscecuting for being there. I hope this puts things in a better perspective.
Yes, mahalo for more insight into what went down that day. We have to take whatever is said in the media with a HANDFUL of Paakai (one grain not enough). Sensationalism is nothing new to the media...learned that lesson quite clearly when the Superferry was front and center in the news. What took place here on Kaua'i never quite played out the same way on the evening news. One instance of a woman pounding on a vehicle that was trying to leave the dock was played over and over again, for the sake of sensationalism...what you didn't see was that the car was about to run over a protestor and the lady was trying to get the driver's attention. Regardless, that was only one small part of the story but that video footage was shown continuously, creating even greater divide between Kaua'i and O'ahu residents. Funny, Lingle's doing the same thing, dividing the private and public worker sectors with the threat of furloghs and lay-offs of government workers, and going to the press with her agenda time and time again instead of sitting at the table. But that's another story.
Like you, I don't agree with the strategy of Akahi ma, but I have to say it brought attention to the issue of independence. Good or bad it put the issue out there in plain view, making people uncomfortable, especially the State.
When this incident happened my take on it was that Kanaka Maoli would NOT purposely destroy or vandalize the Palace, as it is a place of reverence to us. Not a museum or tourist attraction as viewed by everyone else.
There was no evidence of vandalism or theft, thus the other charges were dropped. I commented on the Advertiser blog that the State had been negligent regarding the care of the Palace and that it should be returned to the Hawaiian nation, where it will be lovingly cared for by Hawaiian nationals, as it is a source of great pride. I went on to say that our nation is alive and well, not a relic of the past, so give Iolani back to the rightful owners. My mana'o remains the same. What are we going to do on this coming August 21st to make our sentiments known about the travesty of history that occurred 50 years and beyond?
In my opinion, these people need to be prosecuted to the best extend of the law for what they did to another human being. Are we a violent race to do this to another human being? Not a pretty picture to provide to the world no matter Public Law 103-150. They didn't think this thru...why not verbally ask to please step away "or else" and then it would have been a choice of the person injured to let them in or deal with the consequences.
Thru an "Act of War" committed on January 16, 1893, the United States has continuously occupied with its military forces the Sovereign Lands of the Hawaiian Kingdom nation. Public Law 103-150 says it all. It is time that the United States pull down its flag and Go Home. Get Out Of Hawaii. ALOHA OE, U.S.A.
Replies
Your words are wise. Yes, early on I heard that was the reason that woman pounded on the car. but they kept up with their agenda and most people didn't understand why that was happening. That was blatantly twisting the facts.
On the 21st, we are having a march and demonstration from Ala Moana Beach Park, up Atkinson Dr. to the Convention Center where there is a program planned to counter what they are trying to do there from 10am to 1pm and then 2pm attending the forum inside which Jon Osorio and Keanu Sai, I believe will be giving dissertations. There will also be a ceremony at the Palace around 6pm with oli protesting the annexation and Statehood. Ask Puanani Rogers what they are planning on Kaua'i; she will know. Again, much aloha to all that will participate in all those activities and hope others will join in to make the statement loud and clear no matter what group they belong to or not. This is for Hawai'i nationals to stand up and be counted in defending their national rights as a Hawai'i national and truth-seekers. One doesn't need to be kanaka maoli; but seekers of truth and justice. The police will be directing traffic to safeguard the marchers. It will be a good day for us and hope you can participate on O'ahu or Kaua'i or whatever neighbor island which people there cannot afford to join us in Honolulu. This is an all-out effort joined in by various sovereign groups and individuals.
Mahalo nui for the details regarding August 21st. I am planning to be there as this is a momumental moment in our history where we need to come together in large numbers to show our opposition to the continued occupation of our Hawaiian nation. We need to join in solidarity as na kupuna did when signing the Ku'e Petitions protesting annexation 112 years ago. No doubt na kupuna will be with us that day.
Much appreciation to the organizers of this event. I am looking forward to returning to the seat of government of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
Me ka ha'a ha'a,
Miliaulani
Tane
If the women feared for their safety, why did this woman go by herself to get the attorney by the gate to bring him in? It was stated that she had been drinking. Kippen-Chu stated that they had just uncorked the bottle before she went out to let the attorney in. You are correct that all this should have been thought out better and should have never happened the way it went down. What is unbelieveable is that the perpetrators couldn't find the Throne room as there are only two major rooms on that level of the Palace besides the foyer; the dining room and the throneroom.
In the investigation, one of the officers found a chain outside of the palace building but didn't report it and it is still missing for evidence. That was sloppy work in my opinion. All three entities involved handled it ineptly to create this situation to suit their agenda and validate their actions. At least they didn't destroy it and steal the contents like they did in 1893 till 1964. Those perpetrators were never prosecuted till today. Many of the contents are still missing and thanks to donors, much of the building has been repaired which is still ongoing. I can remember when the U.S. used it for government offices, and the capitol building before the new one was built. I remember when the Iolani barracks was across the street where the now existing capitol building now stands. So, tell me, who trashed the Iolani Palace the most? Recently they dubbed it the Iolani Palace MONUMENT; a historical State Park.
Who initially maintained it and tried to restore the building and tell the history of the building, it was Hawaiian societies and organizations which eventually taken over by the Friends of Iolani Palace. If Hawaiians didn't step in to save it; it would have fallen into greater disrepair. Something to think about. It was the actions of the Hawaiians that saved the building and the grounds; the very persons that the DLNR and the State who are perscecuting for being there. I hope this puts things in a better perspective.
Tane
Yes, mahalo for more insight into what went down that day. We have to take whatever is said in the media with a HANDFUL of Paakai (one grain not enough). Sensationalism is nothing new to the media...learned that lesson quite clearly when the Superferry was front and center in the news. What took place here on Kaua'i never quite played out the same way on the evening news. One instance of a woman pounding on a vehicle that was trying to leave the dock was played over and over again, for the sake of sensationalism...what you didn't see was that the car was about to run over a protestor and the lady was trying to get the driver's attention. Regardless, that was only one small part of the story but that video footage was shown continuously, creating even greater divide between Kaua'i and O'ahu residents. Funny, Lingle's doing the same thing, dividing the private and public worker sectors with the threat of furloghs and lay-offs of government workers, and going to the press with her agenda time and time again instead of sitting at the table. But that's another story.
Like you, I don't agree with the strategy of Akahi ma, but I have to say it brought attention to the issue of independence. Good or bad it put the issue out there in plain view, making people uncomfortable, especially the State.
When this incident happened my take on it was that Kanaka Maoli would NOT purposely destroy or vandalize the Palace, as it is a place of reverence to us. Not a museum or tourist attraction as viewed by everyone else.
There was no evidence of vandalism or theft, thus the other charges were dropped. I commented on the Advertiser blog that the State had been negligent regarding the care of the Palace and that it should be returned to the Hawaiian nation, where it will be lovingly cared for by Hawaiian nationals, as it is a source of great pride. I went on to say that our nation is alive and well, not a relic of the past, so give Iolani back to the rightful owners. My mana'o remains the same. What are we going to do on this coming August 21st to make our sentiments known about the travesty of history that occurred 50 years and beyond?
In my opinion, these people need to be prosecuted to the best extend of the law for what they did to another human being. Are we a violent race to do this to another human being? Not a pretty picture to provide to the world no matter Public Law 103-150. They didn't think this thru...why not verbally ask to please step away "or else" and then it would have been a choice of the person injured to let them in or deal with the consequences.
Thru an "Act of War" committed on January 16, 1893, the United States has continuously occupied with its military forces the Sovereign Lands of the Hawaiian Kingdom nation. Public Law 103-150 says it all. It is time that the United States pull down its flag and Go Home. Get Out Of Hawaii. ALOHA OE, U.S.A.