A bench warrant was issued for the arrest of a University of Hawaii professor on Wednesday — even though he was in the courtroom at the time.
The unusual exchange took place in a Wailuku courtroom when Samuel Kaleikoa Kaeo spoke in the Hawaiian language instead of English when he addressed the judge.
Judge Blaine Kobayshi said he couldn't understand Kaeo and issued a warrant for his arrest, saying "the court is unable to get a definitive determination for the record that the defendant seated in court is Mr. Samuel Kaeo," according to Hawaii News Now.
The warrant was dropped on Thursday. The Judiciary said it will be reviewing policies for providing Hawaiian language interpreters.
Kaeo said he appeared before the same judge repeatedly and complained that "it was about the fact that I was speaking Hawaiian that he didn't like."
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