Police: OCCC Prisoner Allegedly Murdered His Cellmate

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Our media partner KITV has this report. Excerpt:

Police are calling it a murder behind bars.  Authorities said a 76-year-old Oahu Community Correctional Center prisoner was beaten to death on Saturday.

Joseph Tui, Jr., 32, was arrested for murder in the first degree for allegedly assaulting his 76-year-old cellmate Saturday afternoon at the Oahu Community Correctional Center.  Police said the attack took five minutes.

“When the officers on each floor completed a count they get together and make sure the numbers add up.  While they were conferring the numbers, the incident took place.  It happened 2:05 p.m. to 2:10 p.m.,” said Ted Sakai director of the Department of Public Safety.

In those five minutes, the floors were left without an officer.  And officials said the units are designed to hold only one inmate at a time.  Yet, Tui and the victim were in the holding unit together for two days. …

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—Chad Blair

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