A judge has dismissed a criminal complaint against a former Maui police officer after a document went missing, delaying court proceedings for longer than the 180-day time limit for a speedy trial. 

The Maui News reports that Christopher Kealoha, who resigned from the department earlier this year, was accused of abusing his wife, also a police officer. But the penal summons mysteriously went missing.

The newspaper has a nice recap of the hearing. It’s a pretty wild tale. In a nutshell, it’s undisputed that Kealoha’s wife, Rachel, wants the charges dropped. A playback of the 911 tape in court indicates the incident isn’t one to be brushed off lightly. The penal summons disappeared from a folder in February that other officers — including Rachel Kealoha — had access to. 

Meantime, the judge dismissed the case without prejudice, citing the unusual circumstances of the trial delay, meaning that the case can be brought again.

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