A federal jury convicted Taloa Latu, 28, of assault resulting in serious bodily injury after a violent attack inside the Federal Detention Center (FDC) in Honolulu. The verdict, delivered after two and a half days of trial, marks a rare federal prosecution for inmate-on-inmate violence behind bars.
Surveillance footage played during the trial shows Latu, a State of Hawaii inmate housed at FDC Honolulu, launching a sustained assault on September 11, 2016. The video captures Latu repeatedly punching, kicking, and stomping the victim without provocation. Guards intervened only after the attack had left the man motionless on the floor.
The victim was rushed to The Queen’s Medical Center, where doctors confirmed multiple broken ribs and a fractured jaw. The injuries required extensive medical treatment and a prolonged recovery period. Prosecutors emphasized the brutality of the assault, calling it a ‘savage and unrelenting beating.’
Although the FDC is a federal facility, inmates like Latu are often housed there under interstate agreements. The U.S. government retains concurrent jurisdiction over crimes committed on federal property, which allowed federal prosecutors to bring charges despite Latu being a state inmate.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with support from the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Agents collected video evidence, medical records, and witness statements to build the case. No plea deal was reached, forcing the matter to trial.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Morgan Early and Michael Nammar led the prosecution. Latu now faces a maximum sentence of ten years in federal prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 4, 2018, by Chief U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright. A federal conviction could extend Latu’s overall incarceration far beyond his original state sentence.
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Key Facts
- State: Hawaii
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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