The Hawaii Supreme Court has responded to a request by the Public Defender’s Office to release inmates from State prisons because of the spread of COVID-19 in the prison system, especially the O’ahu Community Correctional Center (OCCC). As of Saturday, 166 prisoners and 32 staff within the system were reported to have tested positive for COVID-19. All 166 prisoners and 28 of the 32 staff members are at OCCC.
Four out of five Justices concurred in the decision to ask Honolulu City and County Prosecutor Dwight Nadamoto to provide more information relative to inmates at OCCC. That would include a list by name of all inmates who have been tested at OCCC and the results, a list of all pretrial detainees and prisoners, with exceptions made for those charged with crimes such as abuse of a household member, sexual assault, violation of restraining orders, and selected other crimes.
The Court ordered the information be provided by noon on Monday, Aug. 17. The concurring Justices included Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald, Associate Justices Paula Nakayama and Sabrina McKenna, and temporary Justice Chief Judge Lisa Ginoza. Associate Justice Michael Wilson is expected to provide a dissent.
The Department of Public Safety says no Big Island prisoners at Kulani Correctional Facility or Hawaii Community Correctional Center have tested positive for COVID-19, although 49 prisoners at HCCC are in isolation.
