Man gets life term for 'Ewa Villages killing

By David Waite
Advertiser Staff Writer

An 'Ewa man was sentenced yesterday to life in prison with the possibility of parole for fatally shooting a Kalihi youth at an 'Ewa Villages party in May 2000 .

Circuit Judge Michael Town also ordered that Joel Keoni Brunson, 19, serve at least 20 years of the life term before he is considered for parole because a semi-automatic handgun was used to shoot Robert Rodemio, who was 18.

But Town rejected requests by city Deputy Prosecutor Franklin Pacarro Jr. to give Brunson an extended prison term for a related terroristic threatening conviction and to have the prison sentences for the terroristic threatening and convictions on two firearms charges run consecutive to the murder sentence.

In announcing the sentence, Town called the shooting "a very tragic case" and said Rodemio's life "was needlessly taken by Joel Keoni Brunson."

Town said Brunson "chose to bring a loaded weapon to the party" and "chose to shoot Rodemio, a person that he did not even know."

"Where were Joel Keoni Brunson's parents, where was 'Ewa and where was the larger community," Town asked. "Instead of shooting bullets, (Brunson) should have been out shooting baskets" at a YMCA or Boy's Club, Town said.

Brunson's attorney, Myles Breiner, argued during the trial that Brunson was misidentified as the shooter and was home with his family when the incident occurred. Breiner continued to make the mistaken identity assertion at Brunson's sentencing yesterday and also argued that Brunson was denied a fair trial because several of the jurors discussed the fact that Brunson did not take the stand to testify in his own defense.

Town told Breiner he was not going to call each of the jury members into court and question them about the extent — if any — to which they discussed Brunson's reasons for not testifying. Breiner later said he plans to file an appeal of Brunson's conviction, based upon what he believes was juror misconduct.

Pacarro, meanwhile, said the jury came to the correct conclusion and that the forces that led to Brunson being found guilty of murder were set in motion long ago.

A pre-sentence report written by a probation officer noted that Brunson had a substantial criminal record as a juvenile and that a probation officer in the juvenile justice system predicted that Brunson would ultimately get into serious trouble with the law as an adult, Pacarro said. The report also made reference to Brunson's involvement in an 'Ewa-area youth gang, and a fascination with firearms, Pacarro said.

He said Brunson's mother consistently tried to protect him from being held accountable for unacceptable behavior, both as a child and as an adult.

But Breiner argued that many of the incidents Pacarro referred to in Brunson's juvenile record "happened years ago."

Rodemio's parents, who now work in Alaska, did not attend the sentencing.

But in a letter to the court, the two said they hope Brunson serves far more than 20 years "so that other members of his group" will not form the impression that taking a life is inconsequential.

Reach David Waite at dwaite@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8030.