Former Mayor Mufi Hannemann also has some decades old history making the rounds again this year. Several readers have called it to my attention in recent days.
It stems from an incident during a afternoon matinee showing of the blaxploitation film, “Willie Dynamite: Pimp Counsel“, at Honolulu’s old Liberty Theater on July 31, 1974.
According to news stories at the time, Hannemann and his older brother, Nephi, were arrested for allegedly harassing an off-duty police officer, who was at the movie with his wife.
The incident allegedly started when the Hannemann’s sat in front of the officer and his wife, blocking her view of the screen. Words were exchanged. The officer claimed he was threatened several times, and when the movie ended there was a confrontation in the theater lobby that resulted in the officer holding the Hannemann brothers at gunpoint and placing them under arrest.
The officer filed his own police report describing the incident, which is also part of the record.
The case went to trial, where the Hannemann’s were defended by the late attorney David Schutter.
According to a 2005 Honolulu Advertiser obituary:
Schutter’s reputation started growing in the 1970s, when his clients included reputed underworld figures, victims of police misconduct and brutality and some of Hawai’i’s most infamous violent criminal defendants.
With Schutter’s assistance, the Hannemann’s were found innocent. The brothers also filed a false arrest suit against the city. The case was settled, with Mufi receiving $11,000. Nephi Hannemann did not get a pay out from the case, according to published accounts.
Although the Liberty Theater apparently had a murky reputation at the time, and the “Willie Dynamite” movie might have offended some, it actually now gets okay reviews as an example of the blaxploitation genre. A clip from the movie can be found here.
“Willie Dynamite” was shown as part of a double feature. I didn’t see the other movie mentioned in the clips.
Information about the incident surfaced during the 2008 campaign season on “The Liberty Chronicles”, a web site created by Dan Douglass, a Ron Paul supporter, anti-rail activist, who described himself as “neck deep in Hawaii Republican Party controversy”.
The chronicles website lists attorney John Carroll and Libertarian Ken Schoolland as “columnists” who “share a similar philosophy.”
Carroll is a candidate for the Republican gubernatorial nomination this year.
Although the political bias of the source is obvious, the links to new stories and documents are helpful.
Some readers have suggested that, despite being found innocent at trial, the incident raises real questions about Hannemann’s judgement and behavior.
It’s possible, although, like Neil Abercrombie’s letter written 33 years ago (described here yesterday), a lot of time has passed since then and I’m wary of drawing any current implications from it.
On the other hand, Douglas also reported an incident right before the 2008 mayoral election in which Gus and Nephi Hannemann allegedly harassed a group holding signs supporting candidate Ann Kobayashi in front of Honolulu Hale.
Discover more from i L i n d
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
If I were a reputable police officer, I wouldn’t take my wife to a theater with a “murky reputation,” even for an afternoon matinee, and confront people at gunpoint in the lobby, have my arrest tossed out, and lose a false arrest case.
Is it worth noting that this incident took place when Hannemann was two years out of `Iolani and presumably home for summer break from Harvard?
Sort of odd for the same person who declared that his administration would be “prayerful” (Mormon Times, 5/4/2010 http://bit.ly/d9mGZo).
You can make mistakes in life and still be prayerful. Look at Saul of Tarsus who later became the Apostle Paul.
1. Minor point: MH may have been found “not guilty” rather than “innocent.”
2. In 2005 the Star-Bulletin reported that after MH’s wife received a speeding ticket on Piikoi , MH phoned HPD Chief Correa and claimed that the action of the officer(s) was “inappropriate.” http://archives.starbulletin.com/2005/05/28/news/story5.html
I take it yesterday’s entry on Neil & today’s post on Mufi are “Compare & Decide” ilind.net-style? Each challenged authority with differing degrees of success.
“If I were a reputable police officer, I wouldn’t take my wife to a theater with a “murky reputation,” ”
If you were that officer, being an ef oh bee visitor to the islands (and of course, not at all imbued with psychic abilities) you would have no idea that theatre’s reputation would be labelled “Murky” , many decades later in the future.
The story just sounds typical…Mufi still portrays himself as the ‘strong man’, and Mufi still makes verbal threats – as witnessed and reported on by people in the current campaign season. He appears to not have learned from his mistakes – he has an ‘ick” factor, that has remained with him from his days as head of DBEDT – all the way to the Mayor’s office…..some locals are attracted to it – some are repelled by it. The demographics are changing, can Mufi change with them? So far he had not.
Really? These Abercrombie operatives are trying to resurrect an arrest that happened thirty-five years ago?
Not only was Mufi found not guilty, he got thousands of dollars from the city for WRONGFUL arrest.
And no, Mufi does not portray himself as the ‘strong man,’ when I met him he was (not portrayed himself as) very nice and respectful.
Brendan, if you read the article and stop jerking your knee, you might note it says Dan Douglass is “a Ron Paul supporter, anti-rail activist, who described himself as “neck deep in Hawaii Republican Party controversy”.. ”
I don’t see many Ron Paul people as “Abercrombie operatives”. If they are, the Duke is in worse shape than anyone thinks.
Pretty sure people want to know these things about someone who might become their Governor–whether they ultimately got off or not. Fact is that there was an incident and he was arrested. While he was attending Harvard. That’s fair game for voters. That doesn’t happen to most people, let alone someone who wants to be Governor of Hawaii. Just saying.
Cant believe that we are wasting time discussing their personality and character when everyone would agree that they both have problems….
and if that is how we going select the Top Gun in Hawaii, that going affect me, you, your family,
( like Linda has these past miserable 4 yrs ) then we got problems. Ever hear about Clinton, but while he was doing his thing , everyone enjoyed the best of economic times and you could take your family or gal out cuz had ‘kala”.
Mufi is an okole at times but Neil also get bad back from bending over too much from kissing his own okole. Neil said Mufi is with the “ole boys”. Mufi’s cabinet averages 53. Neil is 73 and with Ben, Charli, Dante, etc backing Neil, what is Neil smoking when he says that or is he getting senile. Da Muf is a real character but
I have never ever heard him swear, or cuss in my life, and if guys think he’s tuff, i know you dont know him. But this okole has somthing the old man no more. He has a RECORD. Neil doesnt. His administrative RECORD can be justified. crucified, verified,,, but he has one.
So far no scandals, good bond rating, taking care of kukai and opala, maybe not as good as we want it… but he has a record. I no like chance the old guard coming back in and then what… teachers strike, word wasn’t kept to Unions, etc. just because one guys personality is offensive. Nope, my selction for okole for Gov is da Muf, controversial as he is.
Ask your self this, right now if you could have one okole, would you rather have one old one or young one? Hey Ian, how about some real investigating… ask Peter C. running for Mayor, how come he took 2 pay increases but never take PAY CUT? He like be Mayor but what, he better than all the other guys who had to take one?
.