From: Kat Brady <kat.caphi@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, May 14, 2021 11:12 AM
To: Gabe Johnson <Gabe.Johnson@mauicounty.us>; Keisa Liu <keisaliu@gmail.com>
Subject: Luka's Story...
I forgot to attach this to the prior email...
My name is Luka and this is my story. When I was 5 years old my mom and dad had a “relapse”...I’m not exactly sure what a relapse is, but I know it’s not good! From that time on my life changed. My mom went away to prison in Kailua. She will be there for a long time. My grandpa and grandma paid some money so that my dad, did not have to go to prison right then. They called it “bail” and he got to stay home and keep taking care of me and grandpa and grandma. My grandpa has Alzheimer’s and he forgets stuff. He never forgets me! My grandma has Multiple Sclerosis and has to use a walker to get around. As for me, I can do lots of stuff by myself so I don’t need a lot of help. Dad just has to braid my hair and drive me to school.
Because of the bail thing, my dad had to do a long list of things every week! He had to take the bus from our home in Hauula to Honolulu to be drug tested. Sometimes he would take me with him. I loved riding on the bus. One time we put my kitten, Pagliacci, in a basket and took her with us. She loved the bus ride too!
Two times each week my dad went to AA meetings in Laie. On those nights Grandma would read me stories and I would fall asleep on her big bed. My dad also had work to do.....like handing out food to people who need food. He did not get paid for working because he was a volunteer. He also had a job cooking at a restaurant. For this job he did get paid. One pay day he took me to the mall in Kaneohe and bought me new shoes and some earrings.
Oh, I almost forgot! Every week dad went to Kahuku to his therapy. Sometimes I went too. I sat quietly while he talked with the lady. She told him it would be better for his health if he would quit smoking. I told him to quit smoking way before the lady told him to! Guess what? He quit! He started to work out lifting weights; and run for miles; and ride his bike for miles. He bought me a pink bike for my birthday so I could ride along side of him.
Things were going pretty good back then. Dad told me it was because he had an awesome public defender. I asked him if a public defender was like a super hero and he said that in a way that was true. One day dad and I went to Honolulu to meet with the public defenders office. He told my dad that EVEN THOUGH he had letters from his professors at Brigham Young University saying he was an excellent student and had played solo piano with the symphony; and EVEN THOUGH he had done everything the BAIL had told him to do for TWO YEARS; and EVEN THOUGH he was taking care of me and grandpa and grandma he was still going to have to go to prison at some point and the judge was getting tired of putting it off! He said “IN A PERFECT WORLD, a judge might put you on some kind of extended probation plan, but this is Hawaii and WE DO NOT LIVE IN A PERFECT WORLD! You’ll have to do time!
Speaking of TIME, each time my dad went for a hearing he would come back and say “ Luka, we have more time to be together!” But then in June of 2020 he went for his hearing and he did not come back. That was when I had to leave Hawaii and go live with my auntie in Washington state. I am sad.
My grandpa and grandma are sad too. They had to go to Utah where some of their other children could help take care of them. All of us miss my dad. The
Hawaii prison sent him to another prison in Arizona. When he got there he got the Covid and was really sick. We hope he is better now.
Can I just tell you, in closing, that I WISH THIS WAS A PERFECT WORLD!???
Then I could be with my dad.
--
Kat Brady, Coordinator
COMMUNITY ALLIANCE ON PRISONS
P.O. Box 37158
Honolulu, Hawai`i 96837-0158
Phone: (c) 808-927-1214
Watch Hawai`i InJustice on `Olelo Channel 54
Advocacy for Justice Award to CAP
http://vimeo.com/10450424
CAP Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/CommunityAllianceOnPrisons
CAP Blog: http://caphawaii.wordpress.com
Testimonies received from AH Committee
From: Kat Brady <kat.caphi@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, May 14, 2021 11:12 AM
To: Gabe Johnson <Gabe.Johnson@mauicounty.us>; Keisa Liu <keisaliu@gmail.com>
Subject: Luka's Story...
I forgot to attach this to the prior email...
My name is Luka and this is my story. When I was 5 years old my mom and dad had a “relapse”...I’m not exactly sure what a relapse is, but I know it’s not good! From that time on my life changed. My mom went away to prison in Kailua. She will be there for a long time. My grandpa and grandma paid some money so that my dad, did not have to go to prison right then. They called it “bail” and he got to stay home and keep taking care of me and grandpa and grandma. My grandpa has Alzheimer’s and he forgets stuff. He never forgets me! My grandma has Multiple Sclerosis and has to use a walker to get around. As for me, I can do lots of stuff by myself so I don’t need a lot of help. Dad just has to braid my hair and drive me to school.
Because of the bail thing, my dad had to do a long list of things every week! He had to take the bus from our home in Hauula to Honolulu to be drug tested. Sometimes he would take me with him. I loved riding on the bus. One time we put my kitten, Pagliacci, in a basket and took her with us. She loved the bus ride too!
Two times each week my dad went to AA meetings in Laie. On those nights Grandma would read me stories and I would fall asleep on her big bed. My dad also had work to do.....like handing out food to people who need food. He did not get paid for working because he was a volunteer. He also had a job cooking at a restaurant. For this job he did get paid. One pay day he took me to the mall in Kaneohe and bought me new shoes and some earrings.
Oh, I almost forgot! Every week dad went to Kahuku to his therapy. Sometimes I went too. I sat quietly while he talked with the lady. She told him it would be better for his health if he would quit smoking. I told him to quit smoking way before the lady told him to! Guess what? He quit! He started to work out lifting weights; and run for miles; and ride his bike for miles. He bought me a pink bike for my birthday so I could ride along side of him.
Things were going pretty good back then. Dad told me it was because he had an awesome public defender. I asked him if a public defender was like a super hero and he said that in a way that was true. One day dad and I went to Honolulu to meet with the public defenders office. He told my dad that EVEN THOUGH he had letters from his professors at Brigham Young University saying he was an excellent student and had played solo piano with the symphony; and EVEN THOUGH he had done everything the BAIL had told him to do for TWO YEARS; and EVEN THOUGH he was taking care of me and grandpa and grandma he was still going to have to go to prison at some point and the judge was getting tired of putting it off! He said “IN A PERFECT WORLD, a judge might put you on some kind of extended probation plan, but this is Hawaii and WE DO NOT LIVE IN A PERFECT WORLD! You’ll have to do time!
Speaking of TIME, each time my dad went for a hearing he would come back and say “ Luka, we have more time to be together!” But then in June of 2020 he went for his hearing and he did not come back. That was when I had to leave Hawaii and go live with my auntie in Washington state. I am sad.
My grandpa and grandma are sad too. They had to go to Utah where some of their other children could help take care of them. All of us miss my dad. The
Hawaii prison sent him to another prison in Arizona. When he got there he got the Covid and was really sick. We hope he is better now.
Can I just tell you, in closing, that I WISH THIS WAS A PERFECT WORLD!???
Then I could be with my dad.
--
Kat Brady, Coordinator
COMMUNITY ALLIANCE ON PRISONS
P.O. Box 37158
Honolulu, Hawai`i 96837-0158
Phone: (c) 808-927-1214
Watch Hawai`i InJustice on `Olelo Channel 54
Advocacy for Justice Award to CAP
http://vimeo.com/10450424
CAP Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/CommunityAllianceOnPrisons
CAP Blog: http://caphawaii.wordpress.com