LIHU‘E — The Hawai‘i Paroling Authority on Wednesday revoked the parole of Kenneth Richard Leigh, 50, who was convicted of negligent homicide in 1994, and lost his parole with another DUI conviction. On Aug. 24, 1994, a jury convicted Leigh
LIHU‘E — The Hawai‘i Paroling Authority on Wednesday revoked the parole of Kenneth Richard Leigh, 50, who was convicted of negligent homicide in 1994, and lost his parole with another DUI conviction.
On Aug. 24, 1994, a jury convicted Leigh of two counts of first-degree negligent homicide and first-degree negligent injury. He was also speeding, driving with suspended or revoked license and without insurance.
Leigh was the driver of a vehicle in February 1994, where he and a male passenger received minor lacerations from an accident. Another male passenger suffered permanent spinal injuries, and two female passengers died as a result of the impact.
Leigh was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment by Fifth Circuit Court Judge George Masuoka. He was paroled on April 4, 2007 to the State of Maryland where his parents reside.
As a chronic DUI offender, with numerous convictions in the State of New Jersey, Leigh saw license revoked for three separate DUI convictions in the 1980’s. His license was revoked on O‘ahu in 1993 for a DUI conviction, and subsequently on Kaua‘i in 1994 as a result of this accident.
Leigh was arrested for a new DUI with a blood alcohol level of .19 on May 6, 2011. He was sentenced to a one-year imprisonment.
After serving his jail term in Maryland, Leigh was extradited back to Hawai‘i to face his parole revocation hearing. He admitted to violating his term of parole by committing the DUI offense.
County Prosecuting Attorney Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho presented arguments against his release at a parole hearing.
“It is heart wrenching that the defendant showed no remorse for the victims, the ones he killed and injured on that horrible night,” Iseri-Carvalho said. “What is worse, is that while the defendant was allowed to be free, the families of the victims continued to and still to this day, suffer a lifetime sentence of emotional pain, trauma and depression because of the loss of their loved ones. He cannot ever be released safely.”
Leigh, represented by State Deputy Public Defender John Ikenaga, requested that he be paroled back to Maryland to reside with his mother. He claimed that on the date of the most recent DUI, he had gone to dinner at a friend’s house and drank punch, which he “didn’t know” was spiked. He maintained that he didn’t feel “right” but got in a car, drove and was arrested for DUI.
Iseri-Carvalho submitted letters from family of the victims to the Hawai‘i Parole Authority and demanded that Leigh serve the rest of his sentence.
She said a sister of one of the victims wrote that, “Kenneth was generously given yet another chance to be a productive member of society. Disappointingly, he has once again behaved irresponsibly and dangerously. Kenneth Leigh’s history, in addition to his most recent violation, indicates that he is a danger. Please do not allow him to hurt anyone else.”
