Trial for the man accused of fatally stabbing a Waianae High School teacher began today.
Prosecutors say Tittleman Fauatea murdered Asa Yamashita at the Ewa Town Center three years ago.
Today, the prosecution presented its case, which included testimony from the victim’s husband, and the key witness.
Key witness testifies
In late February of 2009, Darin Paiva was parking his vehicle at the Ewa Town Center. That’s when tragedy struck, right before his eyes.
"I seen ‘em grab the arm, and stabbing her with the knife," Paiva said.
"What part of the body was he stabbing her?" asked the deputy prosecutor.
"Over here," Paiva said, as he pointed around his stomach.
Paiva said he saw the 43-year-old being stabbed more than 10 times. He said he followed the suspect, saw him toss the weapon, and was even there for the suspect’s arrest. Police arrested and charged Fauatea with murder. But when the deputy prosecutor asked Paiva if he saw the man who fatally stabbed the Waianae teacher in the courtroom, Paiva sat silent for 10 seconds, and then responded.
"Not really," he said.
"You don’t see him?" the deputy prosecutor asked.
"Could be, but I no like say if it’s not," Paiva said.
"Who do you see that could be the guy?" the deputy prosecutor asked.
"The man right there," Paiva said, as he pointed to Fauatea.
Victim’s husband takes the stand
Yamashita’s husband also testified. He said, he was on his way to pick up his wife, when he received a phone call.
"A person told me that Asa was suffering from cardiac arrest and told me to come to the hospital right away," said Bryan Yamashita, husband.
But his wife passed away, before he arrived.
In the coming days, the defense is expected to show that Fauatea started showing signs of mental illness when he was 12 years old. Earlier this year, he was found mentally fit to stand trial and is being held at the Hawaii State Hospital.
"At the end we’re going to ask the court to find Mr. Fauatea not guilty by reason of insanity," said Barry Sooalo, Fauatea’s attorney.
A judge will decide Fauatea’s fate since he waved his right to a jury trial.
See the original article at: KHON2 Local News
