“Galen Fox Image”
Another man was shot to death this Saturday, allegedly by a career criminal.
Emanuelu Tunoa, who previously murdered a teenager in the same area, is suspected of shooting the male victim. Tunoa served only four years in prison for the 1995 gang murder of Misiona Faumuina, who was punched and kicked over 60 times. Tunoa has been arrested 56 times.
Deputy Prosecutor Chris Young said about the 1995 murder, “the verdict sent the message that society will tolerate gang beatings that end in death.”
Faumuina’s mother says, “I’m angry at the jury system and the law. The law is not there to protect the victim.”
Faumuina’s family said Misiona was beaten to death over a girl. (Honolulu Star-Bulletin July 4, 1996)
Enough is enough. How many more victims have to die before the Democrats join us and get tough on crime? “Let’s do it next session,” they say. By next session, will 12 more victims and their families be terrorized by another violent career criminal? Will 20 be dead? Maybe more? Are their lives worth the wait for tougher crime laws? We say no.
We will continue to push for three strikes legislation that will end the terrorism of violent career criminals against victims and their families.
We will continue to fight until the last day of session and we will not stop fighting until the 6 percent of the population that continues to commit violent crimes on innocent victims are put away for life.
”3-Strikes Law Statistics”
*The 3-Strikes constitutional amendment passed with 72 percent of the vote in the 1994 California election.
*Crime in California decreased by 41 percent as opposed to the national average decline of 22 percent (source: Newsweek).
*As a result of the law the recidivism rate of parolees returned to prison for the commission of a new crime dropped nearly 25 percent (U.S. attorney Ed Kubo 3/6/03, as quoted in Hawaii Reporter.)
*The law allows for the prosecutor’s discretion. Criminals who commit multiple crimes do not automatically go to prison. The severity and type of crime is carefully considered. Those in CA prisons on 3 strikes are career criminals. Invoking 3 strikes on petty theft (golf-clubs etc.) is a tool to incarcerate dangerous criminals with long records. Remember Al Capone went to prison for mail-fraud, not murder.
*Statistics show that many criminals left the State; an unintended result of the law (U.S. attorney Ed Kubo 3/6/03, as quoted in Hawaii Reporter.)
*A current KHNL News 8 poll shows 88 percent are in favor of a 3-Strikes law, with 12 percent opposed.
*ABC News telephone survey taken last week showed 82 percent support 3-Strikes for violent offenders.
*A 1996 ”’Honolulu Star Bulletin”’ poll showed overwhelming voter dissatisfaction with sentences handed down by judges.
*Many states have some form of strike law (at least 26).
*A study shows that 60 percent of crimes are committed by 6 percent of offenders (California Secretary of State Bill Jones).
”’State Rep. Galen Fox is a Republican representing the Waikiki district in the Hawaii State Legislature and the House Minority Leader. He can be reached at:”’ mailto:repfox@capitol.hawaii.gov