penumbrage

Here's my firsthand account of systemic corruption in Hawai'i:

1.

I paid for a camping permit for 7 nights ( at ~ $20/night ), at the Punalu'U Black Sand Beach. One evening, I was very tired. It was cold, and windy, and getting dark, so I was having difficulty setting up my tent on the beach. Then it started raining. So I decided to run to a pavilion, instead of setting up my tent.

Around 8:30pm, I was resting in the pavilion, when a security guard showed up and asked me to move out of the pavilion, saying “Overnight camping in the pavilion is not allowed.”

I tried explaining my situation politely: * It was only 8:30pm, not near midnight. * It was cold & dark outside. * I showed my ID, & a paid camping permit.

This did not change the security guard's mind. He called the police. The police arrived, and checked my ID & paid camping permit. Then, without reading me my rights, the police arrested me. The police manhandled me, damaging my arm which was recovering from surgery. I was put in jail for the night. Next morning, I was brought before a judge, then released with a trial date to assess my “crime”. I had filled out a form to request a public defender, as I could not afford a lawyer.

2.

Having no place to stay, I went back to Punalu'U Black Sand Beach. As I was sitting in the pavilion, charging my devices, a security guard arrived again and asked me to leave. Again, I showed my ID & camping permit. Shortly thereafter, police arrived, arrested me again, without reading any rights, and put me in jail again. I was brought before a judge, and released with another trial date. Again, I filled out a form to request a public defender. Now, I had two “offenses” on my record.

3.

I went to court on the appointed court date. The public defender refused to represent me, giving some nonsense reason, such as losing my paperwork. The judge was unsympathetic to my pleas, and set another court date. Again, I filled out a form to request a public defender.

4.

I went to the court on the next appointed court date. The public defender refused to represent me again, and made up some other nonsense reason. The judge was unsympathetic to my pleas, and set another court date.

5.

I attended the Zoom call, on the next appointed court date. The public defender refused to represent me again. I told the judge that I was homeless and food insecure, and did not trust the public defender. The judge was unsympathetic to my pleas, and set another court date.

6.

I lost my phone, which locked me out of many of my online identities. My court date was June 24th, but I thought it was June 28th, 2024, because I had lost access to my online identities & data.

I went to the Kailua-Kona library, on June 28th to get exact information to go to the court. I could not find an email address for the court. I asked the librarians ( Julia and Allison ) to help me find the email address for the court in Kailua-Kona. They could not find that information, but told me that the trial was on June 24th.

So I missed the court date. Now, there was a “contempt of court” criminal charge against me, in addition to the two other “offenses”. There was a $10 fee I could pay to post bail. I did not have $10.

7.

I used to sleep on the beach on Old Airport Road, but my life was physically threatened and my belongings stolen. I decided to start sleeping behind the Kailua-Kona library, where there was light and security cameras. Many other homeless people sleep in the library campus at night. Overall, I thought this would be a safer place to sleep. I would pack & leave by roughly 6am every morning.

8.

I was just getting up one morning, behind the library, when another homeless person showed up, whom I knew from Hope Services. He had been taken to the hospital the week before, for drug / alcohol / psychological issues. He was somewhat drunk and offered me alcohol. I don't drink, but offered to have breakfast with him, to calm him down, and then leave the library with him.

In this process, I lost track of time. It was after 7am when Allison, the librarian arrived and threatened to call the police on us. This man quickly left, leaving behind many of his belongings. I cleaned up his mess. As I was packing to leave, Allison again showed up and threatened to call the police.

I raised my voice at Allison, and shouted, “Call the police! I don't get justice around here anyway. I have been arrested before, without any rights being read.” ( paraphrased )

I then left the library.

9.

2-3 days later, on Friday, August 9, 2024, I was inside the library, using the computer, when Allison told me to come outside. She had called the police on me. The police arrested me, again without reading any rights. I was put in jail from 2024/08/09 – 2024/08/12, on the criminal charge of not paying the $10 fine, “in contempt of court”.

10.

I went to the library a few days later, and was told that I had been “trespassed” and was not allowed in the library for 1 year.

I told them that this was “selective enforcement of law”. The librarians are quite aware ( ex: from security cameras ) that many, many homeless people sleep in the library campus at night. Yet, Allison chose to call the cops on just one person who had raised his voice to her.

I told the librarians that this was an illegal exercise of privilege.

Example: 10 illegal immigrants work at a place. Some local has a personal dispute with 1 of those workers. The local has that 1 immigrant deported. The other 9 immigrants are now supposed to be deferential to this one local, because she can get them deported too.

The law exists, but is selectively enforced by those with privilege. Effectively, the privileged class uses the laws for their own nefarious purposes. The law does not apply equally to all.

This is very, very illegal!

I intend to seek justice ( not revenge ) so that the world is a little bit better, not just for me, but for everyone.

Here are the parties I need to seek justice against: * The Security Guards at Punalu'U Black Sand Beach * The Police * The Public Defender * The Judge * The Librarian

Equal rights & Justice!