HILO — A 38-year-old Pahoa man who collapsed June 15 while in custody at the Hilo police cellblock is dead.
Clarence Hatori died June 30 at Hilo Medical Center, the Tribune-Herald confirmed Tuesday.
Hatori — whose brother also died under police custody over which Hatori was suing the county — turned himself in at the Hilo police station June 14 after police issued a media bulletin the previous day saying Hatori was a suspect in a June 10 strong-arm robbery in the Wainaku area of Hilo, during which $40,000 in cash in a paper bag was allegedly taken by force from a 47-year-old Hilo man.
Hatori was booked on suspicion of robbery and was charged with two counts of contempt of court while detectives investigated the possible robbery charge. He was to have appeared in court later on June 14, when, according to police, he collapsed at about 9:30 a.m. while alone in his cell.
Police Lt. Greg Esteban told the Tribune-Herald last month Hatori showed no signs of medical distress while being questioned about the alleged robbery.
Hatori had remained hospitalized until his death and a photo posted on Facebook June 15 showed him hospitalized on life support. He had been released from police custody pending further investigation of the robbery charge because of his medical condition and hospitalization.
“I miss you badly!” Hatori’s wife, Lei, wrote Sunday on Facebook. “Just couple weeks ago we were planning my birthday, today I’m planning your arrangements for your passing You’ve definitely thought me to be strong and aware of my surroundings, showed me the different side of life n it’s realities in it! Today, I understand why! There’s a lot in this life with me you shared n showed and thought me how to grow. Even if it wasn’t all good you exposed me to the badness in this reality of life we live in! I saw in you the real you,so full of heart. Therefor I gave you my love, loyalty, honor, and respect you we’re the man I fell in love with for all the wrong and right reasons! I love you n miss you much not a day goes by I don’t think of you your daughter misses you so much”
Numerous messages of condolences have been posted to the social media site, including some blaming police for Hatori’s death.
Tony Nakagawa, the alleged robbery victim, confirmed to the Tribune-Herald last month he told police Hatori replied to a Craigslist ad Nakagawa placed.
The ad, Nakagawa said, sought help to get a former girlfriend with whom Nakagawa had a daughter deported to her native China. Nakagawa said his intentions were in his daughter’s best interest. He said as he was leaving a meeting with Hatori at an apartment on the 400 block of Wainaku Street in Hilo, Hatori reached inside Nakagawa’s car and took a paper bag containing $40,000 in cash from Nakagawa without permission.
Nakagawa said he struggled with Hatori for possession of the cash, and Hatori got into his own car and drove away, dragging Nakagawa with the car and causing minor leg injuries.
Hatori is the brother of Randall Hatori, who was 39 when he died in police custody during an arrest Feb. 4, 2014, in Kailua-Kona. Clarence Hatori filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the county and police in February.
The suit alleges police delayed seeking medical attention for Randall Hatori while he lay incapacitated on the ground after being beaten, kicked and Tasered by officers.
Laureen Martin, the county’s Corporation Counsel litigation chief, told West Hawaii Today in February Randall Hatori died as a “direct result of his own actions.” Martin told the Kona newspaper Randall Hatori repeatedly punched an officer in the head while the officer was on the ground.
Describing Randall Hatori’s death as “unfortunate,” Martin wrote in an emailed statement, “Mr. Hatori knew there was a warrant for his arrest and decided to flee. When an officer chased him, he decided to attack the officer.”
She said Randall Hatori “died from a heart attack caused by the use of methamphetamines and an enlarged heart.”
Calls Tuesday morning to Esteban and Capt. Robert Wagner were unreturned by press time and an attempt to contact Lei Hatori via Facebook was unsuccessful, as well.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.