Expert on ice's effects testifies in Aki trial

By David Waite
Advertiser Courts Writer

Crystal methamphetamine use increases aggressive tendencies in people, more so in frequent users, a Big Island psychologist testified at Christopher Aki's murder trial yesterday.

City Prosecutor Peter Carlisle says Aki smoked ice the day before Dec. 10, 2002, when he is accused of taking 11-year-old Kahealani "Kahea" Indreginal to a state park at the top of 'Aiea Heights and beating her to death with a pipe.

Aki's lawyer, state Deputy Public Defender Todd Eddins, says Aki falsely confessed to the murder after the real killer, according to Eddins, threatened to kill Aki and his family.

Yesterday, jurors got a short course on the effects of ice from psychologist Harold Hall, who has studied the drug's use in Hawai'i for more than 20 years.

Circuit Judge Virginia Crandall allowed Hall to testify as an expert witness after holding a hearing without the jury present to determine if his testimony was likely to be reliable and relevant.

Crandall found that Hall was qualified to testify about how ice affects users. But she ruled that Hall could not talk about his theory that users are more dangerous when they are "tweaking," or beginning to hunger for more of the drug a day or so after last using it.

Two witnesses testified last week that they smoked ice with Aki on Dec. 9, a day before Kahealani disappeared from the Pu'uwai Momi public housing in Halawa. Her body was found Dec. 13, off the 'Aiea Loop Trail.

Hall said yesterday that ice users typically overreact to situations, have a low tolerance for frustration, can suddenly turn angry, suffer from delusions and hallucinations and can become paranoid.

Police say that when Aki told detectives he had killed the girl, he said the two of them were talking in his car when he accidentally spit on her, causing her to slap him. He said that he "punched her out cold" and that "I snapped. I just lost it."

Hall said he could not discuss how ice use might have affected Aki since he did not examine him.

Defense attorney Eddins argues that after Aki falsely confessed, police and prosecutors were quick to blame the incident on his use of ice. He said the investigation came to a sudden halt and crucial evidence was overlooked.

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