Council suspends proposed $1.5 million settlement, bringing HPD fatal shooting lawsuit to trial

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The Honolulu City Council decided Thursday not to vote on a proposal that would have the city pay $1.5 million to settle a lawsuit over the 2021 police shooting of a South African rugby star .

Last month, the council postponed a vote to approve the settlement after hearing hours of highly charged testimony from the family of Honolulu Police Chief Lindani Myeni and others.

Council President Tommy Waters said in a statement: “I have decided to cancel the upcoming vote on the proposed lawsuit and transfer the matter to the legal system, where it rightly belongs. This decision reflects the Council’s commitment to enable legal experts to address the facts and merits of a civil case in court rather than at a hearing. The Council recognizes the importance of maintaining a fair trial and believes that the courtroom is the most appropriate setting to ensure a fair and transparent investigation of these facts.

“At our last meeting of the full council in October, discussion surrounding the Myeni case escalated, turning the Honolulu City Council meeting in Kapolei Hale into what seemed like a heated civil trial, with speakers presenting passionate arguments and facts from both sides presented. It is clear that the legal framework and procedural safeguards of the legal system are best equipped to address this issue. I will not allow these public hearings to become a spectacle for grandeur or a substitute for a court of law.”

Honolulu Attorney Steve Alm said in a statement Thursday:

“I am pleased that the settlement in the Myeni case has been rejected.

“My office conducted an independent investigation of all available evidence in this case and determined that the Honolulu police officers involved acted professionally and appropriately. Our investigation also determined that no charges would be filed as a result of the officers’ use of deadly force in this incident.

“Settling this case would also mean that the officers involved were motivated by racial bias. There was zero evidence of that.

“Being a police officer can be a tough and dangerous job. So far in 2024, 39 cases of assault against a law enforcement officer have been referred to my office, many of which occurred during arrests. When officers do something wrong, they should be held accountable. But when they do something right, they need to be defended.”

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On On April 14, 2021, three officers responded to a call report a home invasion in Nuuanu. They confronted the 29-year-old, who police say attacked the officers.

Myeni’s family’s lawsuit said the officers failed to identify themselves, blinded him with flashlights and escalated the situation so much that Myeni felt he had to defend himself.

According to police, Myeni injured three officers and shot one officer who shot him once. A second officer fired three times as Myeni lay on the ground with the first officer.

He was taken to hospital in critical condition and later pronounced dead.

Honolulu Prosecutor Steve Alm declined to prosecute the officers, saying the shooting was justified, and nearly 2,300 Hawaii residents signed an online petition supporting the officers.

Attorney Jim Bickerton, who represents the family, said at the meeting that Myeni’s wife, who is from Oahu, “wants, above all, healing and peace for all. I can tell you that this is a very high priority for her, not just for herself and her family, but for the city, for the officers, for the entire community. The eyes of the world were on this case and continue to be.”