This is going to be an interesting case to keep track of.  Was it self defense or not and how will it affect Hawaii's gun laws either way.  I could see a self defense scenario.  Maybe they got into an accident so stopped on the road and words are exchanged.  Pahio (dead guy) false cracks Freeman (shooter).  Freeman fearing for his life retrieves a gun and shoots.  Traumatized by the incident, he runs away.  Claims self defense.

The news article says the victim was a nice guy while shooter was a bad guy.  According to the court records the victim had some run ins with drugs, family abuse, assault, and harassment too.  Both of them sound like idiots.

Of course every victim is a nice guy who would never harm anyone...

Worked at the shooter's house twice more than 20 years ago.

No such thing as a fair fight outside of sporting events.  Even nations don't fight "fair."  ISIS does not have aircraft, does that stop the US from using airpower?  I believe if you are going to fight, use anything at your disposal to win, or no fight at all.  That is why I will only fight if my life or that whom I care about is threatened.  If someone cuts me off in traffic I don't go leaning on my horn.  It already happened and nothing I can do will undo it.  Anything I do from that point to let the other driver know my displeasure will only make things worse. I want to go home and sleep in my own bed, not the bed in a hospital or jail. 
Cool head main thing, as the old folks would say when I was growing up.

This is going to be an interesting case to keep track of.  Was it self defense or not and how will it affect Hawaii's gun laws either way.  I could see a self defense scenario.  Maybe they got into an accident so stopped on the road and words are exchanged.  Pahio (dead guy) false cracks Freeman (shooter).  Freeman fearing for his life retrieves a gun and shoots.  Traumatized by the incident, he runs away.  Claims self defense.

The news article says the victim was a nice guy while shooter was a bad guy.  According to the court records the victim had some run ins with drugs, family abuse, assault, and harassment too.  Both of them sound like idiots.

No legitimate self-defense claim if he was able to walk back to his car unmolested and then return to the incident site. He was clear of any threat of death or great bodily harm when he went back to the car. Murder in the second degree will be the charge but will probably get pled down to manslaughter.

If he spent time in Federal prison on federal charges, he's almost certainly a felon.

i thought he shot him from the drivers seat after getting punched? if he went back to the car for the gun then hes screwed.

Better ban cars.  If my recent memory is correct, there have been several assaults by auto that resulted in death or serious injury in Hawaii.

Wow, everyone on "his" street says he was a menace and a threat. How can anyone argue self defense in this case...he was a prior felon carrying a weapon on his person.

A past tenant of his says he hates all Polynesians - I'm sure he'll have LOTS of fun locked up with the USO boys.

Wow, everyone on "his" street says he was a menace and a threat.

First, I'm not "defending" this person, just speculating on your questions in general. Either the people on his street didn't call law enforcement, or the times they did call the cops concluded he had broken no laws. Or he was arrested and not charged, or he was arrested, charged and not convicted, or he was arrested, charged, convicted and then back on the street. There isn't a life sentence, yet, for being an asshole. Though based on the reported criminal history of this guy it's difficult to see why he wasn't removed from the public for a much longer term.

How can anyone argue self defense in this case...he was a prior felon carrying a weapon on his person.

Even the most ruthless hardcore lifetime criminal could find himself in a legitimate self-defense lethal force situation (I'm not insinuating that that is the case here, as I have no idea what specifically happened). He could have a legitimate self-defense claim and still be charged with all the other firearms violations. Note: In California you cannot carry without a permit, but an exception exists for "immediate imminent danger" (or some such phrase), meaning that you cannot carry unless and until you are in immediate danger of imminent serious bodily injury or death, THEN you can use magic to make your firearm appear at your previously-illegal-to-carry location. Gotta love the people who write these laws (especially when they then pass laws to exempt themselves from the laws, as the California legislators did).

Wow, everyone on "his" street says he was a menace and a threat. How can anyone argue self defense in this case...he was a prior felon carrying a weapon on his person.

A past tenant of his says he hates all Polynesians - I'm sure he'll have LOTS of fun locked up with the USO boys.

Wow, everyone on "his" street says he was a menace and a threat. How can anyone argue self defense in this case...he was a prior felon carrying a weapon on his person.

A past tenant of his says he hates all Polynesians - I'm sure he'll have LOTS of fun locked up with the USO boys.