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With dozens of inmates released under a Supreme Court order to address overcrowding during the COVID-19 pandemic, the inmate count at the Maui Community Correctional Center declined by 46 inmates or about 15 percent in three weeks, according to state Department of Public Safety reports.
A report Monday showed 266 inmates were housed at the Wailuku jail, compared with 312 on Aug. 17. The facility dipped below its operational capacity of 301 while remaining above its design capacity of 209.
The inmates on Maui include 239 men and 27 women.
Responding to a petition by the Office of the Public Defender, the state Supreme Court on Aug. 24 issued an order for the release of inmates in certain categories.
About 100 Maui County inmates were on Department of Public Safety lists of those eligible to be released under Supreme Court guidelines.
The court excluded defendants charged with or sentenced for certain crimes, including murder, manslaughter, negligent homicide, assault, kidnapping, terroristic threatening, sexual assault, burglary, robbery, abuse and first- or second-degree unauthorized entry into a dwelling.
The Supreme Court set an "expedited process" that included the presumption that motions had been filed for release of defendants on the lists. Judges could rule on the releases without hearings.
Maui County Prosecuting Attorney Don Guzman said the prosecutor's office filed memorandums opposing releases of 53 inmates on the lists, based on the significant risk to the community.
Some of those inmates were released despite the objections. Others were denied release.
The Department of Public Safety reported 14 inmates were released Aug. 31 based on the Supreme Court order. The inmates were Solomon Blevins, Bradley Castillo, David Tyler, Luis Delgado, Kaleo Hussey-Felipe, Christopher Jenkins, Justin Kahakauwila, Peter Kekona, Bill-Werner Manuel III, Charles Norman, Mark Taeza, Kyle Tozer, Dennis Uahinui and Nelito Vendiola.
The prosecution had objected to releasing Tozer, who was being held for allegedly violating his probation in two criminal cases. Court records show he was granted temporary release in a drug possession case by one judge, but was denied release by another judge in an abuse case.
Statewide, the number of inmates declined by 398 or nearly 12 percent from 3,338 on Aug. 17 to 2,940 Monday, according to Public Safety reports.
* Lila Fujimoto can be reached at lfujimoto@mauinews.com.