Facing life in prison, Mundon decides to represent himself

For someone facing the possibility of spending the rest of his life behind bars, James J. Mundon II’s latest courtroom maneuver even left prosecutors scratching their heads.

Charged with 22 counts of sexual assault and other crimes associated with an attack on a 21-year-old female visitor from Canada earlier this year, Mundon before Circuit Court Judge Clifford L. Nakea dismissed his public defender, requested a trial, and indicated he would represent himself on the charges, according to Craig De Costa, county first deputy prosecuting attorney.

Mundon, 49, of Kapa‘a, was also initially charged with kidnapping, terroristic threatening and assault when he was arrested in February in connection with the case.

He remains at Kauai Community Correctional Center while awaiting his Aug. 30 trial date, and could not be reached for comment.

If convicted of the felony charges, he could face life imprisonment, said De Costa.

James Itamura, a public defender, wasn’t in court when Mundon decided to ask Nakea for another attorney and dismiss his public defender to represent himself, but said Mundon “felt more comfortable representing himself.” The alleged victim pointed to Mundon during a preliminary hearing in February when asked to point out her assailant, and said on the witness stand that a man she knew only as “James” threatened to kill her, made her strip, and held a knife to her throat during the two-hour ordeal.

During her 90-minute testimony, the witness claimed that Mundon had kept her in the cab of his truck in the early morning hours of Feb. 5 near the Radisson Kauai Beach Resort in Nukoli‘i, forced her to take of her clothes, and continually tried to fondle her. When she tried to run away, he chased her down on the beach, and when she screamed, he punched her in the ribs and pushed his fingers down her throat, she testified.

Paul C. Curtis, associate editor, may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or pcurtis@pulitzer.net.