Trial for man caught in burglary rescheduled

LIHUE — A Lihue man caught masturbating in a Kapaa hostel and charged with burglary had his jury trial rescheduled to January.

Sean Reid Garma, 43, is charged with two counts of burglary in the first degree. If convicted, he could face 20 years in prison.

Garma appeared before Fifth Circuit Court Judge Kathleen Watanabe Monday standing beside Deputy Public Defender Samuel Jajich. His trial was meant to begin this week, but was rescheduled to Jan. 4.

According to court records, Garma entered the Kauai Beach Hostel in Kapaa on Feb. 6, masturbated in front of four female guests and then ran off. He was later apprehended at Kapaa Beach Park Pavillion on Feb. 14 and charged with burglary in the first degree.

The state had recently filed a motion to continue the trial to February because one of its four witnesses would only be available at that time. Three others could not fly in from their respective states on the Mainland, said Deputy Prosecutor Sinclair Salas-Ferguson.

Jajich objected, noting his client had spent enough time in jail and was ready to proceed.

“All they can do is say that there is a man in a room but none of these people can ID my client … It’s a circumstantial case,” Jajich said. “It’s a flimsy case and none of the witnesses that he’s talking about can even ID him.”

Jajich further requested that Garma be released on his own recognizance, which was denied by the court.

Garma’s criminal record, which begins in 1995, includes six criminal contempt of courts and convictions for theft in the second, third and fourth degrees, harassment, assault in the third degree and robbery in the third degree.

Jajich said the state would have to prove his client was the man masturbating in the dark room at the Kauai Beach Hostel at 3 a.m.

Kauai Beach Hostel Manager Brian O’Brien said he doesn’t remember this specific incident, but is not surprised because a lot of strange things have happened in his hostel.

Bail is set for $50,000.