By Ken Kobayashi

Hawaiian sovereignty activist Dennis "Bumpy" Kanahele can go home again.

Federal judge Helen Gillmor yesterday modified the terms of his release on federal charges of harboring a fugitive. She permitted him to return to his Waimanalo home and ruled that he doesn't have to stay nights at the Miller Hale half-way house on the slopes of Punchbowl.

But she said Kanahele must remain at his Nakini Street homestead at nights under electronic monitoring and he cannot visit the self-proclaimed Nation of Hawaii village on the other side of the rural town.

Gillmor also prohibited Kanahele from going anywhere else in Waimanalo except on public roads to and from his house. In addition, Kanahele cannot conduct any "meetings or business" at his home.

"I feel good," Kanahele said after signing a promise to abide by the conditions. "The most important thing is that I can go home to my family, to my wife and kids."

Kanahele, 41, leader of the Nation of Hawaii, was last at his Waimanalo home more than six months ago.

He was arrested Aug. 2 on charges of harboring convicted tax protester Nathan Brown and interfering with Brown's arrest on two occasions in 1994.

Kanahele was first held without bail. But after a mistrial, he was released Nov. 13 on a $50,000 signature bond and on condition he remain at the halfway hose at nights and stay out of Waimanalo.

He is awaiting a retrial, pending a ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on his request to dismiss the charges.

In her decision, Gillmor said Kanahele's statements to her that heintends to appear in court and abide by lawful rules and regulations is achange from his initial position.

But she imposed the other conditions because she said she was concerned that Kanahele's home in Waimanalo was where he allegedly tried to interfere with Brown's arrest in 1994.

Kanahele, who said he continues to work for sovereignty and has met with Nation of Hawaii members outside of Waimanalo, indicated he could live with the restrictions.

"It's better than Miller Hale," Kanahele said. "Miller Hale was better than Halawa (prison)."

But Kanahele said that before he learned of the new conditions, his first thought was that he would return to his home, go to the Waimanalo beach and jump into the water.

He asked, "I wonder if that (Gillmor's prohibitions) includes the ocean?"

You could risk it and see, he was told.

Kanahele laughed.

"No," he said, "I'd rather have permission."

See related article: Kanahele out on bail, but there's a catch
He's not allowed to visit the 'Nation of Hawaii' headquarters
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Saturday, February 10, 1996

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