HONOLULU — Honolulu's new prosecuting attorney said Thursday his office will conduct independent investigations into recent police shootings in which a 29-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy were killed.
Previously, the Honolulu Police Department investigated all shootings by officers and sent findings to prosecutors, a process that could take more than a year, said Steve Alm, who was elected in November.
Police have been cooperative in turning over evidence, Alm said. Prosecutors won't release any evidence during an investigation.
Police have faced pressure to release body camera footage from an April 5 shooting that killed Iremamber Sykap, 16. The department said it won't release the footage because there were other juveniles in the vehicle Sykap was driving.
The department released some footage of an April 14 shooting that killed Lindani Myeni after he walked into a home, sat down and took off his shoes.
Other changes in Alm's office include looking at the racial breakdown of people who are charged and auditing cases handled by Katherine Kealoha, a former deputy city prosecutor sentenced to 13 years in prison in a corruption case that involved using her husband's power as police chief to frame her uncle and steal money from her grandmother.
