Posted on: Wednesday, May 7, 2003

Slain chef's family opposed to leniency

By David Waite
Advertiser Courts Writer

A man representing the family of former Sheraton Waikiki executive sous chef Tom Matsuda told the Hawai'i Paroling Authority yesterday that Matsuda's killer should serve at least 40 years before being considered for parole.

Dale Nakasone, Matsuda's brother-in-law, said Tam Van Huynh killed the one man at the hotel "who had protected him and spoke up for him."

Nakasone said the only reason ever given for the fatal stabbing in December 2000 was that Huynh, 43, was angry about a one-hour change in his work schedule.

Miles Matsuda, the victim's brother, told the three-member panel that Huynh "should be kept behind bars for the rest of his life" because he took away a loving father and brother and best friend to countless others because of a "stupid schedule change."

"I beg you to keep this piece of trash off our streets in order to keep our community safe," Matsuda said.

Rom Trader, the deputy city prosecuting attorney who handled the case against Huynh, recommended a 75-year minimum term.

"Tom Matsuda was unequivocally a heck of a nice guy, a great guy, with many facets to his life, one that was cut short for no good reason," Trader said.

He said Matsuda, 49, placed his family above all else and was a "people person" who loved his job and the people he came in contact with, including Huynh.

Trader said Matsuda worked hard for more than 20 years and rose through the ranks to become the head of the food and beverage program at the hotel. As a result, Matsuda understood the value of taking care of the people who worked for him, Trader said.

While the hotel wanted to fire Huynh for two incidents in 1998 in which he threatened other workers with knives, Matsuda intervened on Huynh's behalf and he was allowed to keep his job, Trader said. Ultimately, that bit of assistance probably cost Matsuda his life, Trader said.

Huynh's attorney, Nelson Goo, said that what happened to Matsuda was certainly tragic, but he urged the parole board to consider that Huynh was suffering from a schizophrenic condition. Goo said the schizophrenic condition ran in Huynh's family and had become increasingly worse by the time of the stabbing.

While hotel managers sent Huynh to anger management classes after the two outbursts in 1998, they failed to understand that he was mentally ill and not just angry, Goo said.

Goo urged the board to give Huynh a minimum term consistent with those set in other murder cases. He did not recommend a specific length of term.

The Paroling authority's decision will be made public in about two weeks.