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ARTICLE BY WILLIAM LE GRO
AND NOW AN INVESTIGATOR'S REPORT GIVES THE CHILDREN REASON TO BELIEVE THEIR FATHERS DEATH COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS HAD DONE THEIR JOB BETTER.
EVEN THOUGH SECTION 215, PARAGRAPH 3, OF THE HAWAII REVISED STATUTES SPECIFICALLY SAYS THAT IN THE CASE OF A CANCELED LEASE THE DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS HAS THE OPTION OF OFFERING THE LEASE TO THE PROSPECTIVE SUCCESSORS, FOR WHATEVER REASON IT REFUSED TO TAKE THAT OPTION.
AND BECAUSE HILBERT KAHALE SMITH'S CHILDREN ARE ONLY 44-PERCENT HAWAIIAN, THERE IS NO WAY OTHER THAN SUCCESSORSHIP TO BECOME HAWAIIAN HOMES LESSEES ON THEIR OWN.
THAT WAS THE LATEST IN A SERIES OF BLOWS THE AGENCY HAS DEALT THE SMITH'S BEGINNING WITH A BADLY BUILT HOUSE AND CULMINATING IN SMITH'S DEATH ON JAN. 18 AT THE AGE OF 58.
BUNNIE SMITH, MONA ROJAS, AND THEIR BROTHERS, HILBERT, JR. AND ERNEST, ONCE LIVED IN THAT HOUSE, WITH ITS DOORS THAT WOULDN'T CLOSE, ITS ELECTRIC SHORTS, RUSTING WINDOW FRAMES, SAGGING FLOORS, LEAKY ROOF, AND ASSORTED OTHER DEFECTS.
THE HOUSE WAS BAD ENOUGH. THEIR FATHERS' BATTLE FOR JUSTICE WAS SOMETHING ELSE: 18 YEARS OF HOPE, REJECTION, LETTER WRITING, NEGOTIATIONS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZING, POLITICAL ACTION, MEDIA PUBLICITY, LAWSUITS, AND BUREAUCRATIC INEPTITUDE AND THREATS, CULMINATING IN DEATH WHEN HE SET HIMSELF AND THE HOME FROM WHICH HE WAS BEING EVICTED ON FIRE.
NOW HAWAIIAN HOMES, WHICH APPEARS TO DRAW ON A BOTTOMLESS WELL OF CALLOUSNESS, SEEMS TO BE CELEBRATING ITS PYRETIC VICTORY OVER KAHALE SMITH BY DENYING HIS CHILDREN THE RIGHT TO SUCCEED TO HIS LEASE.
DONALD K. L. WONG WAS THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S SPECIAL INVESTIGATOR, SENT TO THE HOUSE ON THE DAY OF SMITH'S EVICTION TO HELP THE DHHL "BY PROVIDING INVESTIGATIVE ASSISTANCE, SHOULD IT BE REQUIRED."
THE REPORT DOESN'T REALLY MENTION WHO WAS ACTUALLY IN CHARGE ON THE DAY THAT THE DEPUTY SHERIFFS ARRIVED AND KNOCKED ON SMITH'S DOOR, ROJAS SAID. " WE FEEL WE SHOULD KNOW WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE IN CONTROL OF THIS AND WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE KEEPING TRACK OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING".
TWELVE SHERIFFS AND FOUR DHHL OFFICIALS WERE AT THE SCENE. SO HOW WAS IT THAT SMITH WAS ABLE TO WALK INTO THE HOUSE CARRYING A BRIGHT-PINK GASOLINE CAN-LABELED "GAS", BUNNIE SMITH SAID-RIGHT PASSED ONE OF THE DEPUTY SHERIFFS WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO "SECURE THE DWELLING"?.
"WE FEEL HIS DEATH COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED", SMITH SAID. AS FAR BACK AS JULY 1995, WHEN HE WAS EXPECTING EVICTION ANY DAY, MONA SAID, SMITH TOLD A NEWSPAPER REPORTER THAT HE WOULD BURN THE HOUSE DOWN BEFORE HE WOULD GIVE IT UP. SHE SAID HE REPEATED THAT THREAT LATER THAT YEAR TO THE SAME REPORTER.
THE JOURNALIST WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE THREAT AND IN NOVEMBER REPORTED IT TO DHHL OFFICIAL JOHN HIROTA AND THE AGENCY'S KAUAI'S HEAD CHAD TANIGUCHI, AND WAS TOLD THEY'D TAKE IT INTO CONSIDERATION, MONA SAID.
IT WAS A SURPRISE EVICTION. THERE WAS NO NOTICE OF THE DAY AND TIME IT WOULD OCCUR. SHERIFF'S JUST SHOWED UP AT 8 A.M. THURSDAY MORNING AND TOLD SMITH TO GET ALL HIS BELONGINGS PACKED AND LEAVE.
AS THE REPORT STATES, SMITH MADE SOME CALLS TO FRIENDS, INCLUDING A NEIGHBOR WHO GAVE HIM PERMISSION TO PARK SOME CARS ON HIS PROPERTY. HIS BROTHER, HENRY, CAME OVER TO HELP HIM MOVE THE CARS. MOST OF THEM NEEDED PRIMING WITH GASOLINE, WHICH KAHALE POURED IN TO THE CARBURETORS.
HAWAIIAN HOMES HAD CONTRACTED WITH KAUAI FREIGHT COMPANY TO PACK, MOVE AND STORE SMITH'S POSSESSIONS. THE REPORT SAYS THE COMPANY TRUCK ARRIVED AT ABOUT 9 A.M.
MONA ESTIMATES IT WAS AROUND 9 A.M. WHEN HER FATHER CALLED HER AND ASKED TO STORE SOME BELONGINGS AT HER HOUSE IN ANAHOLA."I TOLD HIM TO GO AHEAD, AND THAT I'D COME AND HELP HIM AFTER I GOT OFF WORK", SHE SAID. "HE DIDN'T GIVE ANY INDICATION THAT HE WAS GOING TO DO ANYTHING BUT MOVE OUT, AND HE SAID I DIDN'T HAVE TO COME OUT THERE."
THE REPORT SUBSTANTIATES MONA'S IMPRESSION. "DURING THE ENTIRE OPERATION, MR. SMITH APPEARED CALM. MR. SMITH DID NOT ARGUE AND IN FACT WAS HELPING TO FACILITATE THE MOVE . THERE WAS NO INDICATION...THAT MR. SMITH WOULD TAKE THE ACTIONS THAT HE FINALLY DID".
"SOMETHING'S WRONG IN ANAHOLA": A HALF HOUR LATER, MONA BEGAN GETTING CALLS FROM FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS IN ANAHOLA, WHO TOLD HER THAT KAHALE'S HOUSE WAS BURNING AND THAT " SOMETHING MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED TO MY DAD, I SAID NO WAY, I JUST TALKED TO HIM A FEW MINUTES AGO. " I DIDN'T WANT TO BELIEVE IT." AND SO SHE REMAINED AT WORK, WORRIED AND NOT REALLY SURE WHAT WAS GOING ON.
BUT IT WAS TRUE. SMITH HAD MADE GOOD ON HIS THREATS TO BURN THE HOUSE DOWN RATHER THAN TURN IT OVER TO HAWAIIAN HOMES.
ACCORDING TO THE STATEMENT OF DEPUTY SHERIFF AUDREY DOLD, WHO WAS ASSIGNED TO GUARD THE REAR DOOR OF THE HOUSE, SHE SMELLED SMOKE AT ABOUT 9:50 A.M. ( MONA IS QUITE CERTAIN SHE GOT THE FIRST CALL ABOUT THE FIRE ABOUT 9:30 A.M.)
DOLD SAID SHE HAD HER BACK TO THE HOUSE AT THE TIME AND TURNED TO LOOK INSIDE. SHE SAW SMITH IN THE KITCHEN/LIVING ROOM AND CALLED OUT TO HIM TO OPEN THE DOOR . BUT SMITH NEVER RESPONDED.
MEANWHILE, BUNNIE SMITH WAS ON HER USUAL MAIL DELIVERY ROUTE FOR THE KAPAA POST OFFICE. HER UNCLE'S STEP DAUGHTER TRACKED BUNNIE DOWN AND TOLD HER THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG IN ANAHOLA AND TO GET OUT THERE FAST. BUNNIE HAD TO RETURN THE MAIL TRUCK TO THE POST OFFICE.
KAHALE HAD ALSO TOLD HER HE WOULD BURN THE HOUSE DOWN, SHE SAID, " BUT I NEVER BELIEVED IT UNTIL I GOT BACK TO THE POST OFFICE AND THE COP TOLD ME THAT THE HOUSE ON FIRE AND THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO SAVE MY DAD".
BUNNIE CALLED MONA, AND THE COP DROVE BUNNIE OUT TO ANAHOLA."AND THAT'S WHERE I SAW THE CHAOS." THE FIRE WAS OUT BY THE TIME SHE ARRIVED. MONA LEFT WORK IMMEDIATELY, BUT TRAFFIC DELAYED HER ARRIVAL UNTIL ABOUT 10:45.
ON THE SCENE: WHEN BUNNIE ARRIVED , SHE SAW THE BLACKENED REMAINS OF THE HOUSE, STILL SMOKING, SMELLED THE CHARRED WOOD, AND NOTICED SHERIFF'S AND THE FOUR HAWAIIAN HOMES OFFICIALS STANDING TOGETHER BENEATH A PLUMERIA TREE, WATCHING THE HOUSE.
THEY DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING TO ME AS I WALKED BY THEM. I WALKED REALLY CLOSE TO THEM, AND THEY DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING.
STEVEN GIRALD OF KAUAI FREIGHT WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO TALKED TO HER. SHE SAID, "HE CAME UP TO ME AND TRIED TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE THE FIRE. HE WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO CONVEYED HIS CONDOLENCES. HE SAID IF WE NEEDED ANY HELP TO LET HIM KNOW."
GIRALD INDEED SEEMED TO TAKE ON THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THAT OF A HAWAIIAN HOMES REPRESENTATIVE.
"WHEN I FIRST GOT THERE". SAID BUNNIE" HE WAS THE ONE WHO TOOK ME BY THE HAND AND WALKED ME AROUND THE HOUSE AND TRIED TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED. AND AS I WENT UP TO THE KITCHEN DOOR WHERE DAD'S BODY WAS"-HERE SHE PAUSES, TAKES A BREATH-"THE LAST MEMORY I HAVE OF MY DAD WAS SMELLING HIS BURNT FLESH. IT'S THE LAST THING I CAN REMEMBER OF HIM.
"STEVEN TOLD ME , YOUR DAD IS HERE", " I ASKED, CAN I SEE HIM"?HE TOLD ME , "NO IT'S BEST YOU REMEMBER HIM AS HE WAS". "KPD DETECTIVE PAUL KANOHO ADVISED THE SAME". SHE SAID.
KANOHO WAS THE ONLY OFFICIAL BEHAVING PROFESSIONALLY, THE SISTERS AGREED. NO OTHER GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL SEEMED TO "GIVE A DAMN."OFFICIAL CALLOUSNESS: MONA SAID SHE HAD TO SEEK OUT THE HAWAIIAN HOMES OFFICIALS. "THEY DID NOT INTRODUCE THEMSELVES TO ME. THEY DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING; THEY JUST STOOD THERE. SO I HAD TO PROMPT THEM TO SAY SOMETHING, AND THE ONLY THING THAT POPPED INTO MY MIND WAS, "O.K., NOW WHAT"? WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO NOW?".
"THEY KIND OF GOT TOGETHER IN A LITTLE HUDDLE, AND THEN I THINK IT WAS JOHN PEIPER WHO TOLD ME, "YOU NEED TO GET YOUR FATHER'S THINGS OFF THE PROPERTY BY THE END OF THE DAY".
MAYBE THE OFFICIALS WERE IN SHOCK? WHAT WERE THE LOOKS ON THEIR FACES? THEY KNEW A MAN HAD JUST DIED, AND HIS CHILDREN WERE FACING THEM.
"IT WAS LIKE A BIG BOTHER TO THEM." MONA SAID.
"YES THEY KNEW A MAN HAD JUST DIED, "BUNNIE SAID, "BUT I FEEL THEY HAD A PERSONAL VENDETTA AGAINST MY DAD BECAUSE HE WAS TOO VOCAL." WHEN I LOOKED AT DONALD WONG, HE HAD THIS LOOK ON HIS FACE- IT WAS LIKE A GIRL, LIKE A SNOB. HE TURNED AWAY."
THE LOOKS AND BODY LANGUAGE OF THE HAWAIIAN HOMES OFFICIALS MADE INDELIBLE IMPRESSION ON THE DAUGHTERS, ESPECIALLY IN CONTRAST TO GIRALD'S. "STEVEN'S EYES WERE IN TEARS," BUNNIE SAID,KANOHO REACTED THE SAME WAY, THEY SAID. AND THE ANAHOLA COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO GATHERED WERE DEFINITELY IN SHOCK, MONA SAID.
THE HAWAIIAN HOMES OFFICIALS PRESENTED A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT REACTION. "THESE GUYS WALKED AROUND WITH THEIR TAILS IN THE AIR AND THEIR HEADS HIGH, YOU KNOW AS IF NOTHING HAPPENED," BUNNIE SAID.
"THEY STILL HAD TO GET THE JOB DONE AND GET ALL HIS STUFF OFF THE PROPERTY," MONA SAID, LAUGHING IN DISBELIEF.
"THAT WAS THE ONLY THING THEY WANTED ACCOMPLISHED, "BUNNIE ADDED. "AND MIND YOU DAD'S BODY WAS STILL IN THE HOUSE. THE MORTUARY HADN'T EVEN ARRIVED YET. AND THEY DIDN'T CARE. THEY JUST TOLD US THEY WANT HIS THINGS OFF THE PROPERTY."
THE SISTERS SEE THAT REACTION AS SCARCELY HUMAN.
THIS IS WHEN BUNNIE WALKED UP TO HER SISTER AND BEGAN WEEPING.
GIRALD WANTED THE OFFICIALS TO GIVE THE FAMILY AT LEAST THE WEEKEND TO CLEAR KAHALE'S BELONGINGS OUT, MONA SAID, AND HE WANTED TO COME BACK AND HELP THEM.
THEY TOLD HIM, "NO, WE'RE ONLY PAYING FOR TODAY. IF YOU'RE GOING TO COME BACK WE'RE NOT PAYING YOU," MONA SAID.
AND STILL THEY WANTED THE BELONGINGS OFF THE PROPERTY BY FRIDAY, THE NEXT DAY. "THAT'S WHAT STEVEN TOLD US." GIRALD ALSO SAID THAT HE WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP THEM MOVE ONLY ON THURSDAY, SHE SAID.
"AND YOU KNOW HOW SWEET HE WAS?" BUNNIE SAID, "HE PUT EVERYTHING ON HOLD THAT WEEKEND IN CASE WE HAD ANY QUESTIONS FOR HIM. HE WAS THE ONLY ONE. AND THEY ALSO WANTED HIM TO BUST DOWN THE HOUSE, AND HE SAID NO, HE WOULDN'T TOUCH IT WITH A TEN FOOT POLE."
DESPITE BEING TOLD TO GET RID OF THEIR FATHER'S THINGS, MONA SAID , THE SISTERS WERE UNABLE TO ACT IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE POLICE HAD TAPED OFF THE PROPERTY AND WOULDN'T LET THEM TAKE ANYTHING.
ONE OFFICER CALLED THE MORTUARY, AND KANOHO "KEPT TELLING US TO LEAVE SO WE WOULDN'T GO INTO HYSTERICS WHEN THE BODY WAS BROUGHT OUT." BUNNIE HAD TO LEAVE TO PICK UP HER CHILDREN AT SCHOOL, BUT MONA WAS THERE WHEN KAHALE'S BODY WAS CARRIED OUT AROUND 1:30 OR 2:00 P.M. "THEY WERE TRYING TO ESCORT ME AWAY AND I HAD TO SAY, 'LOOK, I'M NOT GOING TO GO CRAZY ON YOU GUYS, JUST LET ME SEE MY DAD FOR THE LAST TIME.'"
THE WORKERS HAD TO REMOVE A SINK AND CABINET AND A PORTION OF FALLEN ROOF TO GET TO SMITH'S BODY, WHICH THEY CARRIED OUT IN A BODY BAG. "IT WAS KIND OF WEIRD BECAUSE I COULD STILL SEE THE OUTLINE OF HIS BODY," MONA SAID.
"MY DAD WAS A BIG MAN, AND IT LOOKED LIKE HIM, LYING DOWN. THEY KEPT TELLING ME HE WAS BURNT BEYOND RECOGNITION AND WE SHOULDN'T SEE HIM BECAUSE IT'S NOT A PRETTY SIGHT. BUT THE WAY THE BAG WAS AND HOW THEY CARRIED HIM OUT AND ROLLED HIM AWAYIT LOOKED LIKE HIM, THE OUTLINE OF HIS BODY. THAT'S WHEN I STARTED CRYING, FINALLY." THE HAWAIIAN HOMES OFFICIALS KEPT WATCHING.
AND THAT'S WHEN THE POLICE ALLOWED THE FAMILY TO BEGIN REMOVING THEIR FATHER'S BELONGINGS. "THAT SAME DAY WE SCRAMBLED TO GET THINGS OFF THE PROPERTY," MONA SAID. "I JUST CONCENTRATED ON THAT. I KEPT A NARROW MIND ABOUT EVERYTHING."
MANY OF KAHALE'S PAPERS FROM HIS LONG BATTLE WITH HAWAIIAN HOMES MADE IT THROUGH THE FIRE. "THE BOXES FELL THROUGH THE FLOOR," MONA LAUGHED, SOMETHING THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITH A BETTER-BUILT HOUSE.
SOMETIME AFTER THEY TOLD THE SISTERS TO CLEAR THEIR FATHER'S THINGS OFF THE PROPERTY, THE OFFICIALS DISAPPEARED FROM SIGHT FOR A WHILE, MONA SAID. THE SISTERS WERE HOLDING ONE ANOTHER, AND WHEN THEY LOOKED UP, THE HAWAIIAN HOMES OFFICIALS WERE GONE.
"SOMEBODY SAID THAT THEY WENT BACK TO THE OFFICE TO CONTACT HONOLULU ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED," MONA SAID, AND MAYBE CONSIDER CRIMINAL CHARGES. "THAT WAS THEIR HOUSE, AND DAD DESTROYED IT."
INDEED, WONG'S REPORT NOTES THAT THE KPD "INITIATED AN INVESTIGATION INTO ALLEGATIONS OF CRIMINAL PROPERTY DAMAGE IN THE FIRST DEGREE," AND THAT THE CASE HAD BEEN REFERRED TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE DIVISION "FOR FINAL DISPOSITION."
THE QUESTION OF WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE IN CHARGE OF THE EVICTION OPERATION LOOMS IN THE CHILDREN'S MINDS. "ISN'T THERE SUPPOSED TO BE A STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR SUCH A SITUATION?" ASKED A RELATIVE. "CLEARLY THERE WAS NONE WHEN I WAS THERE."
SINCE THAT DAY MONA HAS COMPLIED A THICK BINDER PACKED WITH DOCUMENTS AND LETTERS SHE'S EXCHANGED WITH HAWAIIAN HOMES HEAD KALI WATSON AND OTHER AGENCY OFFICIALS. SHE SAID SHE'S ASKED WHY THERE WAS NO INSURANCE ON THE HOUSE, WHICH SHE UNDERSTANDS THE DEPARTMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR. HER FATHER HAD BEEN LIVING IN THE HOUSE WITHOUT INSURANCE SINCE 1986. HE HAD TOLD HIS DAUGHTERS IT WAS UNINSURABLE BECAUSE OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS.
MONA ALSO WROTE WATSON IN MARCH TO ASK ABOUT SUCCESSORSHIP. WATSON REPLIED THAT THERE WAS NO LEASE TO SUCCEED TO. SHE WROTE AGAIN AND ASKED ABOUT SECTION 215, WHICH ALLOWS THE DEPARTMENT TO OFFER A CANCELED LEASE TO THE SUCCESSORS. SHE SAID WATSON REPLIED WITH THE SAME ANSWER AS BEFORE, WITH NO EXPLANATION OF SECTION 215.
THE SISTERS AREN'T EVEN SURE WHO MADE THE DECISION TO REFUSE SUCCESSORSHIP - WATSON ALONE, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HAWAIIAN HOMES COMMISSION, OR THE DEPARTMENT.
NO ONE IN THE DEPARTMENT HAS CALLED OR WRITTEN TO OFFER CONDOLENCES, THEY SAID. ALTHOUGH LAST MONTH, MONA SAID , A DEPARTMENT SECRETARY CALLED TO FIND OUT IF THE REMOVED ALL OF THEIR FATHER'S BELONGINGS FROM THE PROPERTY. THE SECRETARY TOLD HER IT WAS A "COURTESY CALL," BEFORE THE DEPARTMENT SENT IN BULLDOZERS TO DEMOLISH THE BURNED HULK OF THE HOUSE.
THE CHILDREN ARE LOOKING FOR A LAWYER TO ADVISE THEM ON WHAT THEY CAN OR SHOULD DO. "BUT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET ONE,"MONA SAID.
"HE WASN'T REALLY STUBBORN," MONA SAID. "I FEEL HAWAIIAN HOMES DIDN'T WANT TO WORK WITH HIM." THEY MADE HIM OUT TO BE STUBBORN, BUT MY DAD WASN'T LIKE THAT. I DON'T THINK THERE WAS EVER ANYONE HE COULDN'T GET ALONG WITH. HE NEVER HELD ANY GRUDGES AGAINST HAWAIIAN HOMES. HE LOVED PEOPLE. HE WOULD HELP ANYONE. HE HAD A SOFT VOICE, HE WAS GENTLE, UNDERSTANDING, QUIET. HE LISTENED, HE WAS SO HAPPY TO BE AROUND PEOPLE, TO TALK TO THEM, TO LAUGH, TO HEAR WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY.
KAHALE ATTENDED EVERY POLITICIAN'S FUNDRAISERS, HE TALKED STORY, PLAYED SANTA CLAUS, BABYSAT HIS GRANDCHILDREN.
"HE BELIEVED IN HAWAIIAN HOMES," MONA SAID, "HE THOUGHT IF HE KEPT TRYING TO WORK WITH THEM SOMEWHERE DOWN THE LINE THEY WOULD ALL COME TO A MID-POINT. BUT THEY FELT THEY DIDN'T OWE HIM ANYTHING. THERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS HIDDEN THAT HE BROUGHT UP, AND THEY DIDN'T LIKE THAT." SMITH BECAME FAIRLY WELL-READ IN THE HAWAII REVISED STATUTES THAT GOVERN HAWAIIAN HOMES. "HE FOUND OUT THINGS WEREN'T RIGHT, AND THEY DIDN'T WANT OTHERS TO DO THE SAME THING," SHE SAID. "THEY TRIED TO WEAR HIM OUT UNTIL HE RAN OUT OF MONEY AND GOT OLD."
AND WHEN THE SHERIFFS TOLD HIM TO MOVE HIMSELF AND HIS THINGS OUT OF THE HOUSE AND OFF THE PROPERTY, MONA SAID. "THAT WAS THE LAST STRAW."
HIS CHILDREN DIDN'T KNOW HE MIGHT HAVE REACHED SUCH A POINT."HE WAS ALWAYS SO CALM. HE HID HIS FEELINGS. WE GREW UP KNOWING HE WAS STRONG. NOTHING WOULD MAKE HIM DO ANYTHING VIOLENT. IF ANYTHING HE WAS ALWAYS STOPPING PEOPLE FROM FIGHTING. HE WAS NEVER A RADICAL PERSON. EVEN IF SOMETHING WAS HURTING INSIDE, HE WOULD NOT SHOW IT. HE'D JUST GO OFF SOMEWHERE. WE NEVER SAW HIM WEAK, SO BAD HE WOULD FEEL OVERCOME. BUT IN HINDSIGHT, THERE WERE SIGNS THAT SOMETHING WASN'T QUITE RIGHT, MONA SAID. HE WAS LESS BUBBLY, LESS TALKATIVE.
KAHALE SMITH WEIGHED WELL OVER 300 POUNDS, BUT WITHIN TWO TO THREE MONTHS BEFORE HIS DEATH, HE DROPPED BELOW 300. A WEEK BEFORE THE FIRE, MONA HAD GONE OVER TO HIS HOUSE TO BAKE SWEET BREAD AND FOUND THAT HE HAD VIRTUALLY NO FOOD IN HIS HOUSE. HE HAD ALSO BEEN DIGGING OUT OLD PHOTOGRAPHS, SCHOOL YEARBOOKS, COINS, AND OTHER KEEPSAKES TO GIVE TO HIS CHILDREN. "BUT I DON'T THINK HE WAS PLANNING TO KILL HIMSELF," SHE SAID. "HE JUST MEANT TO DESTROY THE HOUSE." AND BEFOREHAND, HE WANTED TO GET THINGS OUT OF THE HOUSE AND BECAUSE THE KIDS NEEDED OR WANTED SOME OF THE KEEPSAKES.
"THE AUTOPSY INDICATED SMOKE INHALATION, PULMONARY EDEMA AND A POSSIBLE HEART ATTACK KILLED KAHALE SMITH", MONA SAID.
THERE'S A POINT TO THEIR QUESTIONING AND LETTER-WRITING, BUNNIE SAID. "THIS IS THE KIND OF EVICTION WE DON'T WANT ANYBODY, TO EVER HAVE TO GO THROUGH!"
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