A federal appeals court (9th Circuit) has ordered that Native Hawaiian Kaulana Alo‑Kaonohi be re‑sentenced, adding up to three more years to his current six‑and‑a‑half‑year term for a racially motivated assault on a white man in Maui in 2014. The victim, Christopher Kunzelman, suffered serious injuries including brain trauma and broken ribs from the attack involving a shovel and racial slurs.
Alo‑Kaonohi and accomplice Levi Aki Jr. were convicted by a jury in 2023 after prosecutors pursued a hate‑crime enhancement tied to the use of the word “haole” during the assault. The appellate court upheld the convictions and granted the resentencing mandate.
Kunzelman’s ex‑wife, Lori, stated that the beating led to permanent brain injury and destroyed their marriage. She voiced support for a stricter sentence.
Defense attorneys argue the term “haole” is often non‑derogatory in local usage and that inadequate defense hampered the original trial. The Hawaii Innocence Project plans to highlight this nuance at resentencing.
This case underscores broader racial tensions between Native Hawaiians protecting cultural identity and mainland newcomers, raising questions about bias, justice, and community integration.
