Days before Shendon Chandler-Taniguchi fatally stabbed a neighbor and was shot and killed by police in a residential area in Waimea on Kauai in 2011, he had been released by a state judge from a hospital after undergoing psychiatric evaluation, Kauai police said last week.
District Judge Edmund Acoba had released Chandler-Taniguchi after a Family Court hearing on Kauai.
The state Judiciary has declined to release the transcripts of the hearing, and Acoba has been unavailable when asked to comment on why he freed Chandler-Taniguchi.
In refusing to release a copy of the transcript Tuesday, the Judiciary cited state confidentiality laws protecting the patient and patient’s family, although the law does allow disclosure of the information under certain circumstances.
“Records of civil commitment hearings are confidential by law,” Judiciary spokesman Mark Santoki said.
Santoki said the court records involving Taniguchi’s hearing about his psychiatric evaluation never became part of the public record because he was never charged with committing a crime.
Santoki said the records of the hearing were released to the Kauai police after police filed a petition for their release.
Kauai Police Chief Darryl Perry said in a Feb. 20 letter to the Star-Advertiser that if it wants a copy of the transcripts from the hearing, it should seek a copy through the courts.
Acoba was appointed as a state judge in April 2011.
Kauai police have released some information about the stabbing incident but declined to release the recording of the 911 emergency call to police.
The state Office of Information Practices is reviewing a request by the Star-Advertiser to have the 911 tape made public.
The attacks began on Menehune Road in Waimea Valley at about 11 a.m. Dec. 2, 2011, when Chandler-Taniguchi stabbed his 83-year-old grandfather, Anthony Chandler, and then his neighbor Edita Padamada, who later died.
According to police, Chandler-Taniguchi then walked a short distance and attacked James Rick, 63, and Julie Berseid, 50.
An officer shot Chandler-Taniguchi after he ignored the officer’s verbal demands, continued his attack and then turned toward the officer.
Police said investigators don’t know the reason why Chandler-Taniguchi stabbed several people.
“There is no known motive for the attacks, and it appears that the victims were randomly selected,” Perry said.
Perry said autopsy results showed Chandler-Perry had traces of bupropion and hydroxybupropion, used for treating depression, in his blood.
Police said Chandler-Taniguchi had no record of alcohol or drug abuse or arrest as an adult.
Perry said the police officer who shot Chandler-Taniguchi has been cleared of any wrongdoing and has returned to work.
