Officers not indicted in Honolulu shooting that killed teen

FILE - In this April 28, 2021, file photo, a stuffed bear sits with other tributes at a street memorial where Honolulu Police shot and killed 16-year-old Iremamber Sykap, whose nickname was Baby, during a car chase on Kalakaua Ave., in Honolulu. Grand jurors have declined to indict three Honolulu police officers in a shooting that killed a 16-year-old boy. The Honolulu prosecuting attorney's office said it presented evidence to a grand jury Wednesday, June 9, 2021 seeking indictments of the three officers. The grand jury declined to return indictments for any of the officers in the April 5 shooting that killed Iremamber Sykap, it said. (AP Photo/Jennifer Sinco Kelleher, File) (Jennifer Sinco Kelleher, Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

HONOLULU ā€“ Grand jurors have declined to indict three Honolulu police officers in a shooting that killed a 16-year-old boy.

The Honolulu prosecuting attorney's office said it presented evidence to a grand jury Wednesday seeking indictments of the three officers. The grand jury declined to return indictments for any of the officers in the April 5 shooting that killed Iremamber Sykap, it said.

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Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm is also investigating an April 14 Honolulu police shooting that killed 29-year-old Lindani Myeni.

Police said Sykap was driving a stolen Honda linked to an armed robbery, burglary, purse snatching and car theft and led officers on a chase. Medical records provided by an attorney representing Sykap's mother and grandmother in a lawsuit say the teen was shot in the back of the head and shoulders.

Police have refused to release officer body camera footage from the shooting.

ā€œPolice work is difficult, and officers must sometimes make split-second decisions in potentially deadly situations,ā€ interim Police Chief Rade Vanic said. ā€œDespite the many challenges, we will continue to do the best we can to protect and serve our community. We are appreciative of the juryā€™s time and consideration.ā€

Eric Seitz, an attorney representing Sykap's family, said he wants to see transcripts from the grand jury proceedings.

ā€œMy clients are very distressed about the news that they got today,ā€ he said, adding that he wants prosecutors to explain to the family what happened.

ā€œThey've had no contact from the prosecutor's office,ā€ he said. ā€œWe had no knowledge of what was going on.ā€

Transcripts will be the only way the public can know what evidence prosecutors presented during the secret proceedings, said Kenneth Lawson, a professor at the University of Hawaii's law school.

ā€œYou've heard you can indict a ham sandwich. It doesn't take much to get an indictment from a grand jury," he said.

Lawson said he's not surprised there are no indictments, partly because the teen was Micronesian.

ā€œMicronesians in Hawaii are viewed the way Black and brown people are viewed on the mainland ā€” less than,ā€ said Lawson, who is Black.

Jacquie Esser, a state deputy public defender not involved in the case, said she's also not surprised. ā€œGrand juries largely favor police, so it's no surprise that they came back with a no bill" of indictment, she said.

Prosecutors could still seek charges against the officers through a preliminary hearing, where a judge determines if there's probable cause, she said.

ā€œThe Department is still reviewing the matter and won't be commenting further at this time,ā€ said Matt Dvonch, special counsel to the prosecuting attorney.


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