Hawaiian natives may face longer sentences after being convicted of white people for hate crimes
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The U.S. Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that a re-sentence, a Hawaiian native who was convicted of a hate crime against white people, must be re-sentenced, which could lead to further imprisonment.
Kaulana Alo-Kaonohi was sentenced by a Honolulu judge in 2023 after a jury found him and another Hawaiian native, Levi Aki Jr.
The jury found that when they punched, kicked and beat Christopher Kunzelman with a shovel, they beat their remote village in 2014 to defeat Christopher Kunzelman.
Alo-Kaonohi appealed the conviction, prosecutors crossed the appeal, challenging the judge's decision that the hate crime could not be strengthened and could not be applied to the judgment.
Hawaiian man sentenced for racially motivated assault on white people
The U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that local Hawaiians who had to be re-sentenced were convicted of hate crimes against white people. (AP)
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals also ruled Thursday that Alo-Kaonohi's conviction was ruled.
It is not clear how long alo-kaonohi will take to spend in prison.
Court records show Aki's appeal and a cross appeal by prosecutors about four years of judgment against AKI.
Kunzelman's wife, Lori Kunzelman, told the Associated Press on Thursday that she was pleased that prosecutors pushed for a longer sentence.
Kunzelmans bought a dilapidated beachfront home because they wanted to leave Arizona after the Lori Kunzelman multiple sclerosis diagnosis.
“We have spent Maui year after year – being loved, loving, loving Maui,” she said. They pointed out that they viewed the house as an affordable opportunity her husband could solve.
Kaulana Alo-Kaonohi was sentenced to six and a half years by Honolulu judge in 2023 after a jury found him guilty with another man. (Getty Image)
She said her husband's beating destroyed her marriage, explaining that her husband suffered a brain injury that left them through a divorce.
Christopher Kunzelman traveled in Europe and could not resolve the ruling.
Lori Kunzelman said the two still own the property, but they don't know what to do.
“Families there will not allow anyone to step on the property,” she said. “There is a lot of hatred.”
The use of the Hawaiian word “Hall” is at the heart of the case. Dennis Kunzelman testified that these people called him “Hall” in a derogatory way.
2 locals are hi, the man was sentenced to hate crime after being cruelly beaten by white people.
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals also ruled Kaulana Alo-Kaonohi's conviction on Thursday. (Getty Image)
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Alo-Kaonohi and Aki's lawyers said Christopher Kunzelman's rights and disrespectful attitude made them angry, not his race.
Kenneth Lawson, co-director of the group, said the Hawaii Incest Project plans to take cases. The group tried to argue that the invalid defense did not show the jury the history of the word “Hal” in Hawaii to show that it was not a derogatory term.
“I just don't believe it's a hate crime,” Lawson said.
Lawson also said the defense should refer to white non-Howai residents as witnesses to prove that they live in the village without any racial issues.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
