Innocent In Prison Project International

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Shaun Rodrigues - An Innocent Man
By Kelly Higa, 9/18/2006 8:04:17 PM

Editor's note: Shaun Rodrigues was convicted of the Manoa home
invasion robbery of Dawn and Diane Sugihara in June of 2000. He was
recently sentenced to a minimum 12-year prison term. His family and
friends still maintain his innocence. Many people in the community
still question whether he is guilty, because of a lack of evidence
and motive linking him to the crime. His supporters have started a
web site found here: http://www.shaunrodriguesisinnocent.citymaker.com Currently, "Project Innocence," a local advocacy group, is working to clear him of the crime.

Yes, my brother Shaun Rodrigues is an innocent man. Sure the evidence
showed innocence instead of guilt. My brother is not the monster who
committed this crime.

The guest editorial published earlier by Hawaii Reporter - "Justice
Not Served in Shaun Rodrigues Doubt-Ridden Conviction" - tells of a
young man with a future full of goals. Some of which he has
accomplished, others he shall fulfill one day.

He has never fit the profile of a criminal, be it a first timer or
career. He's worked very hard for what he has gained in life,
reflections of the upbringing he has had. He doesn't come from a
family of law breakers or drug users.

Values and morals has always been the foundation of his life through
the teachings of his parents. This is a pleasant person full of
respect for the next person. What I don't understand is how our
justice system is set up. When questioning an officer in Internal
Affairs of the Honolulu Police Department on how our system is ran, I
was told by this officer that even if there is no physical evidence
linking a person to a crime, that individual can be convicted as long
as the victims say that the person in question committed a crime
against them.

According to him as long as there is an "eyewitness", that person may
be charged and convicted of the crime. Shaun started his sentence in
January of this year. It wasn't until May 2006 that the fingerprint
lifted from the crime scene was actually ran through the national
database. And as of this date we're still not sure if this is the truth.

Jim Borg of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin did some investigating of his
own and found that the fingerprint was only ran against Shaun. When
he questioned the prosecuting office on this matter (on several
occasions), he was told that the lead detective in the case has yet
to release the print to them. So I called the Honolulu Police
Department for some answers and spoke to a Major on the force who
happened to be the lead detective's boss.

After explaining the questions I had and what reporter Jim Borg was
told by the prosecuting office, I was told by this Major that he was
going to call the prosecutors office and get to the bottom of this.
Well 24 hours later he leaves me a voice mail stating that through
his inquiry was told that the print was ran and that it did not come
up to match anyone in the system. I am having a hard time believing
this since Mr. Borg was told otherwise.

Also, if we the family were questioning repeatedly about them
humoring us and running the print through the database, then why
wasn't anything said to us. I would think the state as well as HPD
would want to throw it in our faces that the print wasn't a match to
anyone else and to reiterate to us the family, as well as to Shaun
that they still had their man.

Hmmm, sounds like something is not right. It almost sounds like
something is being covered up here. The bottom-line is that there has
been many inconsistencies with this case.

We would have never thought that in our state something like this
could ever happen. Thankfully organizations like "Project Innocence"
believes in my brother and continues to fight to exonerate him.

Shaun continues to exist through the support of his family and
friends. He holds his head up behind those bars of Halawa. He minds
his own business and awaits his exoneration. Remember, he is in an
environment he has never been exposed to and among people he'd
otherwise have never met.

We pray for his safety and encourage him to keep his eyes on his faith.

Reach Kelly Higa via email at mailto:kelly.higa@yahoo.com

http://www.hawaiireporter.com/story.aspx?31a3d8c3-13f8-4e41-bc32-d960b9766ab9

[shaun's sis]

Thank you for your interest in the posting of Shaun's story. Yes, my brother is innocent of the charges he was convicted of. The evidence provided no link to Shaun and the crime except for the fact that he was just an innocent tax paying member of society making a living by doing the job he was hired to do; installing the victim's home alarm system. The finger print from the scene did not match Shaun, he had an alibi that several witnesses testified to, and passed multiple polygraph tests. Still he was convicted and sentenced to a minimum of twelve out of a twenty year sentence.
The victims identification of Shaun through a faulty police line-up was at the least questionable. During their 911 call both women, when asked if they could identify their assailant, stated that they would not be able to do so because they did not see his face. When shown his photo in the line up, both women pointed him out as the assailant. But they had to be told that this was the same man who installed their alarm system just two weeks prior. Still the older victim said that this was not the same man. She was then reminded that, on a break, she served him an ice cold drink, seating him at her table and was on a first name basis with the accused at this point.
During the trial one of the victims described the assailant as a dark -skinned polynesian. My brother is fair skinned and does not look polynesian.
Still, Shaun became another victim in this case. He fell victim to the justice system of an overzealous prosecutor and a state judge who has a reputation for questionable verdicts.

[VEHench]

Just a correction to the story: the correct name of the group is the "Hawai`i Innocence Project," a not-for-profit law clinic providing free legal services to Hawai`i prisoners (military, civilian, state or federal) who have credible claims of actual innocence. WE DO NOT CHARGE ANY FEES of any kind.
There is another group with a similar name which charges fees and does not have any attorneys, though many people have been fooled by them.

For information or to submit a request for legal assistance, contact the HAWAI`I INNOCENCE PROJECT,
Attn. V. E. Hench, Atty # 6821
UH Law School, 2515 Dole Street
Honolulu HI 96822

email is: sk8legal@prodigy.net and website is www.innocenceprojecthawaii.org

Aloha, Virginia Hench