KEALAKEKUA — The man who stabbed two women, leaving one with life-threatening injuries, acted in self-defense in a fight last year in Waikoloa, Judge Ronald Ibarra ruled on Monday.
Aaron S. Nakamoto, 34, was facing attempted murder, first-degree assault, second-degree assault and disorderly conduct charges. Nakamoto had waived a jury trial, so the case was heard directly by Ibarra.
It was a “tough trial and a just result,” Robert Kim, Nakamoto’s defense attorney, said after the ruling, calling it a difficult case as the two assailants were women, where it would have been easier if the two assailants had been men.
During the trial, witnesses said there was a dispute between Nakamoto at the bar at Pueo’s Osteria with Hanna Luepkes, who was there with her friend, Carly Ann Sugimoto.
The women left and went shopping for groceries. Luepkes testified she decided to locate Nakamoto again to find out what the problem had been.
She saw him getting into his SUV and approached him.
What led Luepkes to punch Nakamoto, breaking his nose, was disputed at trial.
Ibarra’s analysis of the testimony was that Luepkes ran up and punched Nakamoto in the face. Ibarra’s verdict included a discussion of self-defense, where a “reasonable person” with the same information as the defendant would believe deadly force was necessary.
He found that the poor lighting, sudden nature of the attack and multiple assailants made Nakamoto’s use of a knife a legitimate form of self-defense.
When the judge read the verdict, there was gasping from the women’s families and tears came from Nakamoto.
One man was so upset he got up and left before the completion of the reading.
Kim said Nakamoto expressed his appreciation for the verdict.
Deputy prosecuting attorney Kauanoe Jackson said afterward there were no plans for additional court action. She had no further comment on the case.
The injuries to the women included partial paralysis to Luepkes’s face and a near-severing of the carotid artery, the treating doctor testified.
Sugimoto also suffered injuries that required two layers of stitches.
Ibarra said there would be a full version of the verdict available for the public on Wednesday.