Maui telescope protester granted Hawaiian language interpreter

WAILUKU — A telescope protester who asserted what he called his right to speak Hawaiian instead of English in court earlier this year has been granted an interpreter in Wailuku District Court.

A trial date was set for May 23 for 51-year-old Samuel Kaleikoa Kaeo, the Maui News reported .

Kaeo is among six protesters arrested Aug. 2 as dozens of protesters gathered to confront a convoy carrying equipment for the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope at the Haleakala summit. He has pleaded not guilty to disorderly conduct, obstructing a highway and refusing to comply with a police officer’s order.

A $750 bench warrant had initially been issued to Kaeo after Judge Blaine Kobayashi asked him four times to give his name in English during a court hearing in January. Kobayashi had granted a request from the prosecution to have Kaeo’s trial conducted in English.

A day later, the warrant was recalled and the state Judiciary changed its policy for Hawaiian interpreters. The state agreed to provide or permit qualified interpreters “to the extent reasonably possible.”

“I’m happy that the judiciary is turning the corner and realizing that this issue isn’t going to go away,” Kaeo said. “In fact, this issue is going to grow.”

Kaeo’s case was reassigned to Judge Kelsey Kawano, who ordered an interpreter for the trial. Kaeo, however, objected to the new date and asked that his case be dismissed because more than six months has passed since his arrest.

Kawano told Kaeo, who is representing himself, that he must file a motion to the court. After Wednesday’s hearing, Kaeo blamed the prosecution for pushing his trial back due to its motion to have the trial in English.

Maui County Prosecutor J.D. Kim could not be reached immediately Wednesday for comment.

“I really don’t understand why the trial is being pushed back so far into the beginning of summer, which would make it by then nine months from when I was arrested,” Kaeo said. “The judge did say I could submit a motion to challenge that so I think for my rights as a defendant I need to explore all possibilities.”