The homeless man accused of beheading a Hawaiian monk seal pleaded not guilty and will go before a jury on Sept. 25. Justin Freemon did not comment after a hearing yesterday the court of Fifth Circuit Chief Judge George Masuoka.
The homeless man accused of beheading a Hawaiian monk seal pleaded not guilty and will go before a jury on Sept. 25.
Justin Freemon did not comment after a hearing yesterday the court of Fifth Circuit Chief Judge George Masuoka.
Freemon, 24, was released on $500 bail. He faces a misdemeanor count of violating the state’s Endangered Species Act, which carries a maximum penalty of up to a year in jail and a $2,000 fine.
He was represented in court by deputy public defender John Calma, who did not comment on the case.
In court papers, Freemon told state Department of Land and Natural Resources investigators the seal had been dead for a week before he cut of its head.
Court papers state Freemon blurted out to investigators, “I cut it off,” and allegedly told them he buried the seal’s head near his Pila‘a Beach campsite.
Court papers show Freemon said he was surprised the “government didn’t send in the dogs to locate the buried head.”
Freemon showed investigators where he buried the head, and court papers state a kitchen knife was recovered as well.
The body of the adult female seal was found May 1 on rocks at Pila‘a Beach.
• Cynthia Kaneshiro, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or ckaneshiro@kauaipubco.com.
