Murder defendant Christopher Aki, shown in court today, says that Kahealani “Kahea” Indreginal was slain by her uncle. Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser

It was an account that Aki, 21, and his attorney, Deputy Public Defender Todd Eddins, have stuck to since the start of the trial in Circuit Court for the girl’s death.

Aki is on trial on a charge of beating to death Indreginal on Dec. 10, 2002, a day after prosecutors say he smoked crystal methamphetamine. Her body was found Dec. 13, 2002, off the 'Aiea Loop Trail.

Aki testified this morning that he had taken Indreginal on Dec. 10, 2002, to a state park above 'Aiea Heights where he had arranged to meet her uncle, Dennis Cacatian. Aki said that the girl told him Cacatian "was touching her."

But Aki testified that the girl’s presence and accusations sparked rage in Cacatian, who backhanded her in the face before leading her down a nearby trail. Cacatian had been smoking crystal methamphetamine, or ice, Aki testified.

"He was angry, very angry," Aki said. "You could see the rage in his face. You could see him breathing harder."

Aki said he waited several minutes before following the pair.

"I could see Dennis looking straight at me with a knife in his hand," Aki testified. "And I could see Kahea laying down on her face. My heart was pounding. I got kinda worried."

Aki said the girl’s neck was covered with blood and she wasn’t moving.

"I knew she was dead right there," he said.

Cacatian then smashed the girl in the face two times with a large rock, Aki testified.

After that, he came at Aki with a gun and shoved it in Aki’s face, the defendant said.

"You don’t know nothing, you ain’t seen nothing or else you’re dead and your family’s dead," Aki testified Cacatian said to him.

"I thought he was going to pull the trigger right there," Aki said.

Yesterday, Aki was described in court by relatives and a friend as a quiet, loving and caring individual, one never prone to violence.

Aki’s uncle, Gary Aki, testified that he did not believe his nephew was capable of physical violence.

Gary Aki, 52, said he "was like a father figure" to Christopher Aki, who was raised by his single-parent mother.

He described his nephew as "well-behaved, a good kid, respectful" and "very obedient as far as his family goes."

He said Christopher Aki has always been reed thin and was never active in organized sports, but spent much of his time playing video games. "As long as I have known him, Christopher has always been a skinny, scrawny little kid," Gary Aki testified.

He said he had never seen Aki "in a violent state."

But in response to a question from City Prosecutor Peter Carlisle, the uncle said he did not know that Christopher Aki was a frequent user of "ice," or crystal methamphetamine.

Christopher Aki initially told police he knew nothing about what might have happened to the girl, then said two men he knew killed her to steal her Hawaiian bracelets. When he was interviewed by police a third time, Christopher Aki confessed to killing the girl and acting alone.

State Deputy Public Defender Todd Eddins said Christopher Aki falsely confessed after the girl’s real killer, her uncle Dennis Cacatian, threatened to kill Christopher Aki and his family if he told the truth, but Carlisle has said Christopher Aki killed the girl and created the story about Cacatian in a desperate attempt to blame someone else for his own actions.

Also testifying yesterday was Gary Aki’s 20-year-old son, Kinohi, who described his cousin Christopher as "gentle, caring, very soft and very understanding."

Kinohi Aki said he worked for a short time in construction with his cousin, but found that Christopher Aki was "not physically built for construction."

"He is a very peaceful person and not violent whatsoever," Kinohi Aki said. He said Christopher Aki told him about smoking methamphetamine but that he never saw him smoke the drug.