UPDATE: Guilty Verdict for Pimp Who Fled His Trial
A pimp whose trial continued after he fled the state was convicted by a jury Thursday of promoting prostitution, kidnapping and other charges in what prosecutors called one of their most high profile prostitution cases.
Joseph Vaimili faced charges of promoting prostitution, terroristic threatening, using a firearm and two counts of kidnapping.
But on the day of opening arguments, the defendant fled town despite a $250,000 bail. Because Vaimili had been present for jury selection, Circuit Court Judge Randal Lee, ordered the trial to go on without him. Anti-human trafficking advocates said the case was one in which laws criminalizing human trafficking could have helped keep him in custody.
The chief witness in the case was a 24-year-old woman who says she was repeatedly beaten by Vaimili and forced to work as a prostitute in Waikiki. Shortly after meeting Vaimili at a Waikiki club, the victim says Vaimili beat her unconscious, dragged her down a Waikiki alleyway and forced her to work 鈥渢he track,鈥 a prostitution route down Kuhio Avenue. She gave him everything she earned.
A jury took two hours to return guilty verdicts on all five counts. A bench warrant was issued for his arrest. If caught, prosecutors will ask he serve his sentences consecutively.
Prosecutors said it’s rare for cases to continue without the defendant. The case was also significant for its violence and because the victim was willing to take the stand.
“Promoting prostitution is actually the biggest charge. Promoting prostitution in the first degree hardly ever gets charged because it’s difficult to get the prostitute to testify,” said Deputy Prosecutor Megan Kau.
During the trial, the defense appeared to try to undercut the victim’s credibility by showing the jury a picture of her in skimpy clothing. Vaimili’s lawyer, Jeffrey Arakaki, could not be reached.
“Especially when prostitues are the victims, the defense always tries to shed the worst light possible on them,” Kau said.
