KEALAKEKUA — Ann Coito stepped up to the lectern Tuesday to address the court before the man who shot her daughter and a police officer nearly two years ago in North Kohala was sentenced to serve at least 21 years in prison.
“First off, I have something for Macy from his daughter,” she said to Macdon Thromman as he sat shackled in drab Hawaii Community Correctional Center garb. “’Hi dad. Love you and I miss you a lot. Bubba miss you too. We all miss you.’”
Coito also brought a photo of Thromman and his daughter picking flowers to the hearing.
“Is he allowed to have this,” she asked the judge, who permitted her to pass it to Thromman’s counsel, Terri Fujioka-Lilley. After that Thromman could be seen shedding tears.
Coito was relaying the massage and picture from her grandchild to their father, Thromman, who was convicted by a 12-member jury in February of attempted second-degree murder for shooting Hawaii Police Department Officer Ray Fukada and first-degree assault for the shooting and injuring of his girlfriend, Heather Coito, among other offenses. Ann is the mother of Heather and was also a victim of first-degree terroristic threatening in the case.
She was also the lone person, outside of letters, to provide a statement during Tuesday’s sentencing before 3rd Circuit Court Chief Judge Ronald Ibarra regarding the July 13, 2015, incident that resulted in a nearly 20-hour standoff between Thromman and police at a residence off Akoni Pule Highway in Kapaau.
And, despite being a victim, she spoke in support of Thromman on behalf of herself, her daughter and the family, noting that she did not fear Thromman that night and that statements made to police were altered.
“I am here today to express how sad and sorry we are to see how this is all turning out,” Ann Coito said. “It’s a delusional picture being painted for the public making you out to be this horrible person. We know who you are as a person, as well as everything that was said and happened that day in July, and we stand by as what we know as the truth because we were there.
“Your children will be here for you,” she continued. “We will care for them and remind them how much you love and care for them. Someday you will be reunited with them and what a joyous day it will be.”
Though knowing that Ibarra was limited because of mandatory minimum terms, Fujioka-Lilley asked that the judge look at Thromman’s entire life in determining if he would sentence her client concurrently or consecutively.
“For 39 years, minus 24 hours, Mr. Thromman has been a loving and good and caring man to his family, to his friends, to his in-laws, his coworkers and his employers,” Fujioka-Lilley said. “We’re asking you to look at what happened the other 39 years of his life.”
Thromman, 39, was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison with the possibility of parole after he serves at least 15 years in prison for second-degree attempted murder. Consecutive to that sentence, Ibarra ordered Thromman to serve two separate five-year te rms for first-degree terroristic threatening that each carry a mandatory minimum of three year. Those mandatory sentences mean he will be incarerated for at least 21 years.
Ibarra also sentenced him to concurrently serve up to 20 years with a mandatory minimum of 10 years for kidnapping; 10 years with a mandatory minimum of five years for first-degree assault; five years with three years mandatory for each 0f two counts of first-degree terroristic threatening; and one year each for second-degree reckless endangering and failure to have permits to acquire a firearm.
He told Thromman that while bad days and breakups occur, “people don’t go around shooting other people to try to maintain their relationship.”
“Mr. Thromman, I read a lot of support letters from you and your friends, but unfortunately you made a bad choice that affects not only your life but affects other peoples lives: The officer who was shot, the officers who were shot at, your family members and your children,” Ibarra said. “Unfortunately, for you, like your lawyer points out, 24 hours will affect the rest of your life.”
Thromman began serving the sentence immediately, and he will receive credit for 579 days he’s already served behind bars. Fujioka-Lilley, said after sentencing that Ibarra must have recognized what “kind of man my client must have been before this occurred” for sentencing Thromman concurrently on some of the charges. An appeal will be filed, she added.
“Prosecutors would like to thank the community. Justice was served today. The community, including the defendant’s family, are safety today,” said Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Kauanoe Jackson, who handled the case along with Kimberly Taniyama and Kate De Leon.
Prior to the sentence being handed down, Thromman addressed the court, apologizing for his actions. He noted that he did not plan to traumatize his family, the police officers and his community.
He said he hopes that the officers and their families can “find it in their hearts to forgive me.”
“Because of my actions, my children will grow up without their father,” he said, noting he plans to take advantage of every program available to him while incarcerated with the hopes he can “one day be a member of society again.”
“I know I deserve a lengthy prison sentence but please do not let me die in prison,” he said.