In this writer's opinion this is an excessive sentence, especially given it was the media that provoked the entire incident. Hopefully a decent lawyer can get the appellate court to see this and get his sentence reduced. I do remember the videos and while he was enraged it was due to the media pushing close to him, and the man was trying to -long term- protect his family. If he was a celibrity he wouldn't even be in jail. Does anyone remember a -phone throwing incident-? He walked away, but he never got a day in jail.
8-24-2009 California:
A sex offender who did his time, but brandished a box cutter while threatening reporters and cameramen who confronted him at his mother's Oakdale home was sentenced to 36 years to life in prison by a judge this morning.
Darren Kawamoto, 45, faced 25 years to life for each of the six people he threatened Oct. 10, 2008.
Stanislaus County Superior Court Judge Ricardo Córdova said he watched footage of Kawamoto's confrontation with the news crews about 20 times and was struck by the rage in Kawamoto's eyes.
"I think he was justified in opening the door and yelling at (the media)," Córdova said. "Unfortunately, he didn't stop there."
Kawamoto gave a tearful plea to Córdova and apologized to his victims, who did not make statements in court.
"I didn't have the right to scare them," Kawamoto said. "I really thought it was affecting my family."
Kawamoto told his story to two sets of jurors, in March and again in May. The first panel could not reach verdicts, but the second panel said Kawamoto was guilty of making criminal threats while waving a box cutter.
Kawamoto's mother, who wanted to stay anonymous, said reporters believed her son was a child molester because a sex offender registry published by the California Department of Justice says Kawamoto's sex crimes involve a child under 14.
He actually was convicted of raping, assaulting and robbing an Oakdale woman on Halloween in 1988, sneaking into her home after her husband went to work.
"My son was only trying to protect his family," Kawamoto's mother wrote in a statement, read in court by his aunt. "The media was pounding on the door. They wouldn't leave."
Oakdale police drew attention to Kawamoto by scheduling a public meeting to discuss sex offenders and safety tips after Kawamoto registered as a sex offender with Oakdale and Riverbank police, telling both agencies that he had no fixed address.
Kawamoto had been implicated in a string of violent sexual offenses; he was convicted of five felonies in connection with one rape and acquitted of charges related to a second rape. He was paroled to Fresno County in 2004 after serving about 14 years of a 25-year prison sentence.
He has been to prison for burglary and assault in Alameda County.
News crews from three television stations in Sacramento — Channel 3 KCRA, News 10 and Fox 40 — covered the meeting at Bianchi Community Center, then went to a home on Snedigar Road to get Kawamoto's side of the story.
The three channels broadcast stories about the meeting and their news crews' encounter with Kawamoto. Both juries saw video taken that night and heard from the media, including reporters Jamie Soriano of Fox 40, Cornell Barnard of News 10 and Richard Sharp of KCRA.
Witnesses told the court that a little girl answered the door but was quickly replaced by Kawamoto, who shut the door without comment. Moments later, Kawamoto came outside and launched into a tirade, telling reporters to get off his property.
Reporters and their cameramen backed away, but continued filming, especially when a relative came outside and restrained Kawamoto.
At one point, Kawamoto reached into his jacket and pulled out a box cutter, which he waved at members of the media. He also uttered this threat: "If this goes in the media, I'm going to hunt down every one of you. A life for a life sentence."
News crews retreated to the street and packed up their gear but lingered near their vans, chatting. Kawamoto popped up again, repeatedly asking them where they lived and what they were doing at his home.
No one was injured.
Deputy District Attorney Doug Maner said Kawamoto crossed the line when he waved the box cutter and followed members of the media into the street. He said Kawamoto could have simply shut the door and ignored reporters' requests for an interview.
Deputy Public Defender Maureen Keller said the actions of the media also were to blame.
"They went out there to get the most exciting news story they could," Keller said. "They created that." ..SOurce.. by Merrill Balassone
August 24, 2009
CA- 36 years for Oakdale man who threatened media members
June 15, 2009
CA- Sex offender convicted of threat to Calif TV crews
There is no way this man should have been convicted, he was provoked past human breaking points. This country needs some kind of laws to stop the aggressiveness of the media; many celebs will stand behind that platform! When the media acts as it did here, that is media vigilantism!
6-15-2009 California:
OAKDALE, Calif.—A convicted rapist faces a possible life sentence after he was convicted of threatening television news crews with a box cutter.
Three TV news crews went to Darren Kawamoto's house about 80 miles south of Sacramento in October after Oakdale police drew attention to his case at a public meeting on sex offenders.
The 44-year-old Kawamoto yelled at reporters to get off his property. He pulled a box cutter from his jacket and threatened the crews as they kept filming. He later confronted them again.
A first jury could not reach a verdict. But a second jury convicted him of making criminal threats. He is set for sentencing July 27.
Kawamoto's attorney says the news crews provoked his client and should not have been surprised when he reacted. ..Source.. by Mercury New.com
March 6, 2009
CA- Jury Deadlocks for Sex Offender Who Attacked News10 Crew
3-6-2009 California:
MODESTO, CA - A Stanislaus County jury failed to reach a verdict Thursday in the trial of a convicted sex offender who attacked several news media crews, including News10.
Darrin Kowomoto was arrested last November in Oakdale after assaulting news crews and making threats to kill them with a knife.
Eleven jurors voted to convict Kowomoto, but one juror refused.
A Stanislaus County District Attorney's Office spokesperson said they would re-try the case. Kowomoto will be held in custody.
News10 along with other media outlets attempted to get an interview after police held a community meeting to answer questions about Kawamoto, who moved back to the Oakdale area after finishing his parole last August.
Kawamoto, 44, was convicted in 1991 on two counts of sexual assault with force and was sentenced to 25 years behind bars. He was released on parole in 2004 after 13 years, eight months in prison.
With cameras running, Kawamoto attacked News10 reporter Cornell Barnard and photojournalist Damien Espinoza along with another television news crew when they went to his family's house to ask him questions.
At one point during the altercation, Kawamoto pulled out what appeared to be a box cutter and yelled threats as he slashed the air and tried to come after the news crews. He was restrained by a relative. ..News Source.. by Cornell Barnard
November 13, 2008
CA- Sex Offender Who Attacked News10 Crew: "How Would You Act?"
The media had no reason or right to be their except to sensationalize a story. They harassed and provoked this man as they do with celebrities. The almighty dollar will send this man back to prison.
11-13-2008 California:
MODESTO, CA - Less than a day after attacking a News10 crew and other reporters outside his relatives' Oakdale home, convicted sex offender Darren Kawamoto talked to News10 about what set him off.
"They came up under the cover of darkness. They didn't pull up in the driveway or nothing. They just creeped up to the door," Kawamoto said during the interview with News10's Tim Daly inside the Modesto County Jail. "I opened the door. They didn't have no lights on or nothing. They were just all in suits and ties."
BLOG: News10 News Director Stacy Owen Responds to Kawamoto Story Criticism
With the porch light on and camera lights running, Kawamoto attacked News10 reporter Cornell Barnard and photojournalist Damien Espinoza along with another television news crew Tuesday night when they went to his family's house to ask him questions.
"That's my family. That's my niece, my mom, my dad. I'm trying to do everything I can to protect their identity, to protect their reputation," Kawamoto said.
Kawamoto, 44, was convicted in 1991 on two counts of sexual assault with force and was sentenced to 25 years behind bars. He was released on parole in 2004 after 13 years, eight months in prison.
Police held a community meeting in Oakdale Tuesday night to answer questions about Kawamoto, who recently moved back to the Oakdale area after finishing his parole last August.
At one point during the altercation, Kawamoto pulled out what appeared to be a box cutter and yelled threats as he slashed the air and tried to come after the news crews. He was restrained by a relative.
Kawamoto was charged with a felony of making violent threats and remained in custody Wednesday on $50,000 bail. With his two prior convictions, any new felony conviction would be his third strike.
Kawamoto said it was threatening behavior by others in Oakdale since he arrived in town that made him so quick to make threats himself.
"I just want to turn around and snap. Here I am, after three weeks of this, three weeks of threats, crank calls and everything...How would you act?," Kawamoto said.
Kawamoto said he wouldn't react the same way again and would handle a similar situation more calmly. However, though facing a third strike conviction that could mean life imprisonment, Kawamoto said he could live with how he reacted.
"I guess if I end up having to go back to prison, at least, in some small way, in my mind, I can probably convince myself (that) at least it wasn't for something stupid. At least, in my mind, I was protecting my family," Kawamoto said.
Former prosecutor Bill Portanova said under California laws of the early 1990s, it is not unusual that Kawamoto only served 14 years of his 25 year sentence for his sexual attacks.
"Back in 1991, if somebody got sentenced to prison, they only had to serve half of their time," Portanova said.
The rule then allowed inmates to earn one day time off for every day of good behavior. "Prison officials will tell you this is good idea," Portanova said. "It gives them something to work with to try and keep all these convicts in line. So if they behaved themselves, they got out sooner."
Kawamoto received the same benefit in 1983 when convicted of first-degree burglary. With a sentence of seven years, he was released after serving just half the time.
Those sentencing laws have now changed, however. People convicted of felonies in California now must actually serve 85 percent of the sentence handed down. If those laws had been in effect in 1991, Kawamoto would still have several years left to serve in prison.
"For violent sexual offenses or for really violent predatory offenses generally, the longer you warehouse these people, the better," said Portanova. "There's no rehabilitation for violent sexual predators. As a general rule, they should really be locked away for as long as possible, as your videotape shed some light on."
Between his 2004 release from prison and his parole, Kawamoto had also gone in and out of prison at least three times on various parole violations, according to state records.
"What happens with a lot of these guys that are really unfixable is they just keep getting bounced in and out on their parole violations until they get caught doing something big again," said Portanova. "Now, under the sentencing laws today, somebody with this kind of record gets caught on something serious and they're gone for life." ..News Source.. by Mark Hedlund
November 12, 2008
CA- Sex Offender Attacks News Crews
At least this report provides us with facts to refute implied claims that he is not transient. First notice he is properly registered in two places, yes as transient, and that the homeowner says "he sometimes stays there." There are no facts substantiating why the media was tracking him down like paparazzi after Britney Spears, and multiple news crews as well. Under circumstances like that, many folks -even celbreties- have cracked and fought the paparazzi as this fellow did. However, the box cutter is really what will do him in because that goes overboard, he should have called the police instead. There is no doubt in my mind that he was provoked without reason and broke as some will do who cannot handle such attention. Hopefully the judge will consider ALL circumstances.
11-12-2008 California:
Nobody Injured During Attack
RIVERBANK, Calif. -- A violent sex offender who's been on the move without registering had to be restrained from attacking reporters with a box cutter when they tracked him down at a Riverbank home.
Darren Kawamoto, 44, was put in police custody Tuesday evening after a violent outburst directed at reporters and camera crews, including KCRA 3's Richard Sharp and photographer Steve Gonzalez.
Reporters had tracked Kawamoto down at a home the renter of the property says Kawamoto sometimes stays at.
Nobody was injured during the attack.
Dozens of residents from Oakdale and Riverbank were meeting Tuesday at the Oakdale Community Center after hearing Kawamoto had moved to their neighborhood.
Kawamoto doesn't have a permanent home and is registered as a transient in both Oakdale and Riverbank.
Police said the purpose of the meeting was to discuss sex offenders and safety tips.
Kawamoto's crimes include sodomy and oral copulation with a victim younger than 14.
Kawamoto had to be restrained by what may have been a family member after getting a box cutter out of his vehicle during the incident.
Kawamoto also pushed some people, threw down a camera and threatened to cut throats.
He was arrested and booked with making felony criminal threats.
A woman who spoke with KCRA 3 said she was one of Kawamoto's original victims 20 years ago and that she was not surprised by the attack and still lives in fear of Kawamoto. ..News Source.. by KCRA 3 News
