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Joseph Kahahawai

Case from Honolulu, HI dated Jan 08, 1932

Victim Details

Joseph Kahahawai

Male

Hawaiian Native

Honolulu

HI

1932-01-08

22

Joseph

Kahahawai

Yes

07/14/2026

Case Description

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Joseph Kahahawai, a 22-year-old Native Hawaiian prizefighter, was accused of raping Thalia Massie, the wife of a U.S. Navy lieutenant. After an inconclusive trial ended in a hung jury, Kahahawai was kidnapped by a group that included Thalia's mother, Grace Fortescue, her husband, Thomas Massie, and two Navy enlisted men. They took him to their rented bungalow and attempted to force a confession at gunpoint. During the interrogation, Kahahawai was fatally shot.

The subsequent trial of the ...
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Links to Additional Sources (7)

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  • Joseph Kahahawai - Wikipedia
  • Joseph Kahahawai's Murder | American Experience - PBS
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    Forum Posts (1)

    Reading about the tragic events surrounding Joseph Kahahawai's murder is truly unsettling. It's appa... ...Read More
    10/09/2024
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