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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Four teens in egg case apologize

By Mary Vorsino
Advertiser Urban Honolulu Writer

Four 17-year-olds involved in an egg-throwing incident in Lanikai will not face charges and have apologized in a statement to their peers, teachers and families, according to a lawyer and to their school's president.

"Our true intentions have been to bring pride and glory to Saint Louis (School) with everything we have done," the students said in their statement. "We followed good examples set by our older brothers and always tried to do better than them."

Saint Louis President Walter Kirimitsu read the statement at a schoolwide assembly yesterday. The boys did not address the group, nor did they apologize to any Lanikai resident, including former Bishop Estate trustee Gerard Jervis, whose home they allegedly egged.

But Eric Seitz, the lawyer for three of the teenagers, said a second apology could follow if the community feels it is needed.

In a news conference yesterday, Seitz also told reporters that police have decided not to file charges against the boys for the Lanikai incident. Police had been pursuing harassment charges against the four teenagers.

They were also investigating the teenage driver involved for allegedly driving under the influence of an intoxicant, according to initial police reports.

Seitz said the four teens "would like to put this behind them."

"They are good kids that have never been in trouble ... before," he added.

The Advertiser has decided not to name the boys because they are minors and their alleged offenses were not major crimes.

In the apology statement yesterday, the teens did not admit to throwing eggs.

Seitz said he advised the boys not to talk about any specifics in the egg-throwing incident for fear they would open themselves to litigation. But in the statement, the teens did say "we understand that we will have to continue to prove ourselves to everyone because of the mistrust we have caused."

Jervis is accused of pursuing the teens — after they allegedly threw eggs at his Lanikai home — and causing them to crash their SUV into a utility pole guywire. Jervis has been charged with first-degree criminal property damage in the March 7 incident and is awaiting a preliminary hearing.

His attorney, Paul Cunney, said Jervis did nothing wrong.

And Cunney said the boys' apology was a positive move.

The teens have also said they are not interested in testifying against Jervis, Seitz said, which could help Jervis' case.

"I appreciate the boys coming forward and at least apologizing," Cunney said. "It's the first step in the healing process. I think the final step would be to apologize to the Lanikai residents."

The incident has spurred a lively discussion islandwide about who was at fault in the case and has prompted others to come forward to say they have also been victimized by teens who participate in egg-throwing drive-bys.

Saint Louis has disciplined the boys, though specifics were not released.

Meanwhile, Seitz said he has not heard about any charges filed stemming from a different incident involving one of the boys, who is accused of soliciting prostitution. The boy was arrested Friday night in a prostitution sting in Chinatown and was released to his parents pending court action.

Reach Mary Vorsino at mvorsino@honoluluadvertiser.com.


Correction: Attorney Eric Seitz's name was misspelled in a previous version of this story.