Sea turtle with tumors found in Aina Haina
Federal officials have taken a beached sea turtle with multiple tumors to have a medical examination.
The turtle was found Tuesday on a beach in Aina Haina.
Aina Haina resident Gina Evangelisti said the sea turtle had growths completely covering its eyes.
"It’s missing part of its fin and is emaciated," she said.
Evangelisti said she called federal marine officials and kept it on the beach while waiting for their arrival.
Wende Goo, spokeswoman for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said federal marine officials will decide the next step after examining the sea turtle.
Isle lawyer to help Williams weigh appeal
A Honolulu defense attorney was appointed Tuesday to help a former soldier decide whether to appeal a murder conviction in the beating death of his 5-year-old daughter.
U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright named attorney Brook Hart to work with former Hawaii-based soldier Naeem Williams.
If Williams should prevail in a possible appeal and win a new trial, the federal government says it could pursue the death penalty against him again.
Williams avoided the death penalty when jurors who convicted him of murder were later unable to agree on whether he should be executed. As a result, he will be sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison.
The case against Williams was the first death penalty case to go to trial in the history of Hawaii’s statehood.
Williams testified about physical abuse he inflicted on his daughter, Talia. On the day the girl died in 2005, he beat her because of toothpaste she spit on a sink and because of her bathroom accidents, he said.
Defense attorneys who represented Williams at trial asked that he receive legal help in deciding whether to appeal the conviction. The attorneys say they can’t advise him because they believe appealing could expose him to another death penalty trial.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Hiker who died is identified as from Haena
Kauai police have identified the 19-year-old woman who died while attempting to cross Hanakoa Stream as Zoe Walker of Haena.
Autopsy results determined she died from an apparent drowning, police said Tuesday.
Walker had been living on Kauai for several months.
On Friday afternoon she and a male friend were hiking when they were swept down the stream while attempting to cross it. The man made it to shore and tried to locate Walker to no avail. He hiked out of the valley for help.
A rescue team aboard Air 1 conducted an aerial search until nightfall. They resumed their search Saturday and found Walker’s body near the Hanakoa shoreline.
Man accused of threats, damage
A 36-year-old Papaaloa man was charged with threatening several people at a Kaumana residence, breaking windows and making threats with a firearm Saturday, Hawaii County police said Tuesday.
Timothy J. Nacis also was charged in connection with the theft of a large Honda generator in Laupahoehoe on April 1.
Nacis was charged with two counts of first-degree criminal property damage, four counts of first-degree terroristic threatening, one count of unauthorized entry into a dwelling, one count of second-degree theft and two firearm offenses. Bail was set at $200,000.
Learn about Chinese tourism
The Maui Mayor’s Office of Economic Development and Maui Visitors Bureau will host a free workshop for people interested in learning more about the rapidly growing Chinese visitor market. The workshop will be from 1 to 5 p.m. Sept. 2 at the Makena Beach and Golf Resort’s Kaeo Ballroom.
