Man’s statement can’t be used in sex-abuse trial

HONOLULU — Self-incriminating statements a former girls’ school teacher made about sex-abuse allegations can’t be used against him at his trial because the student’s father scared him into confessing, a judge ruled.

William Plourde was fired from Sacred Hearts Academy over allegations of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old student.

Circuit Judge Glenn Kim ruled the statements were not made voluntarily because the girl’s father was with Plourde when he called 911 asking to turn himself in and when he spoke with an officer who arrived at Plourde’s apartment, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Tuesday.

Officer Glenn Chong said that when he arrived, Plourde told him he “felt up and kissed a minor.”

That prompted the girl’s father to shout, “What, you kissed my daughter?” Chong said.

The father threatened to beat up Plourde and throw him over the balcony, Plourde said, and then told him, “But I’m not going to do that ‘cause you’re gonna call the cops and you’re gonna turn yourself in, and you’re gonna plead guilty and take whatever punishment the court gives you.”

Plourde said he did as he was told because he was afraid.

The father said he yelled at Plourde but denied threatening him.

“I don’t see how any reasonable person can’t well imagine what that scene was like,” Kim said. “How Mr. Plourde could not have felt the very least intimidated by (the girl’s father) is beyond me.”

Kim earlier threw out a statement Plourde gave a detective because the detective continued to question him after Plourde said he didn’t know whether he wanted a lawyer.