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Jury acquits US agent of murder in Hawaii shooting

By WTOP Staff

JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER
Associated Press

HONOLULU (AP) — A jury on Thursday acquitted a federal agent of murder in his second trial for the 2011 shooting death of a man at a Hawaii fast-food restaurant, but they couldn’t reach a verdict on other lesser charges.

Nearly a year ago, another set of jurors deadlocked in the case against State Department Special Agent Christopher Deedy, and a judge declared a mistrial.

Judge Karen Ahn later ruled the new jury could consider a lesser charge of manslaughter — an option the previous jury didn’t have. The foreman in last year’s trial said jurors deadlocked with eight in favor of acquittal and four for conviction. Legal observers blamed the hung jury on the lack of a manslaughter option.

This time, the jury said the shooting wasn’t murder, but they couldn’t decide if Deedy was guilty of reckless manslaughter, or assault in the first or second degree.

The judge said Deedy could face a third trial on those counts, but defense attorney Thomas Otake said outside court: “We firmly believe there are legal motions we can file to dispose of those charges. … Our position is enough is enough.”

Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Janice Futa said she was disappointed with the acquittal and will recommend a third trial.

The family of Kollin Elderts, who was killed, abruptly left the courtroom after hearing the result. They criticized prosecutors last year for not asking for manslaughter, but prosecutors said the evidence didn’t support a manslaughter charge.

Ahn said she included it this time in part because the state Supreme Court has since made the law clearer on the issue.

Elderts family spokeswoman Kalama Niheu said the family was devastated and prosecutors didn’t do enough to get justice. Futa declined to comment on that criticism.

“Christopher Deedy is a very irresponsible, cowardly individual that took away the heartbeat of our family and forever changed us,” Niheu said, reading from a statement. “Because of the poor decisions he made that tragic night, including drinking and walking our Waikiki streets with a loaded personal firearm, we can never forgive him.”

Deedy, 30, took the stand at both trials. The Arlington, Virginia, man maintained he acted in self-defense and was trying to protect others from an aggressive Elderts in the Waikiki McDonald’s.

Deedy was in town to help provide security for an international economic summit but was off-duty when he shot Elderts, 23.

Much of his testimony at the latest trial was the same as last year’s, but this time he was clearer about his intention to kill Elderts, in what seemed like an attempt to avoid a ruling to include reckless manslaughter as an option for jurors.

Deedy said that when he pulled the trigger three times, he intended “to stop the threat, to kill the assailant.”

He was fueled by alcohol, power and a warning from a fellow agent about the hostility of Hawaii locals toward government employees and outsiders, prosecutors told the juries in both trials.

The prosecution tried to portray Deedy as drunk and inexperienced. The defense countered that Deedy had only a few drinks and was acting in line with his law-enforcement training when he intervened in a potentially dangerous situation.

Deedy, who went to the McDonald’s after a night of bar-hopping with friends, said Elderts was bullying a customer.

Jurors began deliberating Aug. 5. They got some time off as Hawaii braced for Tropical Storm Iselle and Hurricane Julio.

Earlier Thursday, the jurors were brought into the courtroom, and it seemed Ahn was expecting them to say they were deadlocked and that more time wouldn’t help, as she made plans with attorneys for declaring a mistrial if necessary. But the forewoman said it was possible they could reach a verdict with more time, so the judge told them to keep deliberating. They returned with their verdict a few hours later.

“Today is just a day where we’re relieved. We’re relieved that they acquitted him of murder and that they did not convict him of anything,” Otake said. “No matter what, there’s no winners in a case like this. … The Elderts, they’ve lost a loved one.”

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Follow Jennifer Sinco Kelleher at http://www.twitter.com/JenHapa .

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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