The three-day trial of Clyde Okada, a Hanapepe shopowner accused of continuous sexual assault against his step-daughter, has gone to the jury. Attorneys made closing statements Wednesday afternoon. Kaua’i County’s chief deputy prosecutor, Craig De Costa, told the jury that
The three-day trial of Clyde Okada, a Hanapepe shopowner accused of
continuous sexual assault against his step-daughter, has gone to the
jury.
Attorneys made closing statements Wednesday afternoon.
Kaua’i County’s chief deputy prosecutor, Craig De Costa, told the
jury that the continuous sex assault felony charge facing Okada
didn’t exist five years ago. The charge sets a time frame within
which the offenses are alleged to have taken place.
The law is for underage victims “who cannot be expected to remember
specific dates” when they were assaulted, De Costa said.
He also defended the 13-year-old victim’s testimony, which was
interspersed by nervousness and even giggling.
“She is still under 14. Why would she lie? Why would she have gone
through that intrusive sexual assault investigation? At least 10
times she had to tell her story over and over to strangers. Why would
she go through all this?” De Costa said, then answered, “Because the
defendant did this to her.”
Defense attorney Randal Valenciano also highlighted the girl’s testimony.
“You are the judge of the facts, not detectives,” he told the six
female and six male jurors. “There is conflict in this case. The
conflict is the (alleged) victim’s testimony. We ask that you find
that the state has failed to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in
this case.”
The girl alleged that her Okada sexually assaulted her repeatedly
over a two-year period starting when she was 10.
A grand jury last summer indicted Okada on more than 100 counts of
sexual assault against a minor, but prosecutors moved forward with
only 21 counts.
To make it even simpler for the jury, the prosecutor reduced the
complaint to one count of class A continuous sexual assault of a
child.
If convicted, Okada would face 20 years in prison.
The girl, now living with grandparents in Camas, Wash., testified
Tuesday about the alleged assaults.
Okada’s wife and the girl’s mother, Wendy Okada, also testified.
Although she never witnessed any of the alleged acts, she recounted
what her daughter had told her happened.
Clyde Okada chose not to testify in his own behalf, according to his
other attorney, Mark Zenger.
Staff writer Dennis Wilken can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) and
mailto:mailto:dwilken@pulitzer.net
