DeArmond: DeArmond Sentenced
JOC(SW) Tim Paynter
Managing editor
Hull Technician 2nd Class David DeArmond, a thirteen-year Navy veteran, was sentenced to 22 1/2DeArmond sentenced years in prison, forfeiture of all of pay and allowances, reduction in rank to seaman recruit, and will be dishonorably discharged. The decision came on June 9 following a week-long sentencing trial in the Trial Service Office courtroom at Naval Station Pearl Harbor.
Last month DeArmond, 33, plead guilty to the voluntary manslaughter of his wife, Zaleha, 31 and the murder of his mother-in-law, Saniah Abdul Ghani, 66; both from Singapore.
DeArmond also plead guilty of abusing a corpse in violation of a Hawai'i Revised Statute.
A nine-member military jury returned with the sentence at 8:05 p.m., on Monday, June 9, just hours before the one-year anniversary of the killings that happened in the early morning hours of June 10, 2002. DeArmond stood silently and displayed no emotion as the senior member of the jury announced the sentence after the military judge, Captain Michael Hinkley, had reviewed it.
The jury; comprised of three officers, one master chief, three chief petty officers, and two first class petty officers; deliberated for eight hours in a sealed room adjacent to the courtroom after listening to closing arguments from the prosecutor and defense counsel. They were also given detailed instructions from the military judge that morning, before their closed-door deliberations. All of the evidence presented during the trial, including videotaped copies of witness testimony, was at the jury's disposal during their deliberations.
During closing arguments the morning of June 9, the prosecutor, Lt. Cmdr. James Lucci pushed for a sentence of life in prison for DeArmond. "They're asking you to judge her. We're asking you to judge him." Lucci told the jurors. Lucci furthered his point by saying, "Our society doesn't resolve marital problems with a frying pan," while holding the frying pan DeArmond used to kill his wife in the air.
DeArmond's defense team had a different take as the lead defense attorney, Marine Corps Lt. Col. Peter Delorier explained, "On June 10, 2002 Petty Officer DeArmond turned himself in. He admitted all of the facts surrounding his actions. On June 10 he took responsibility for his actions." The defense also argued "this was a good Sailor pushed over the edge."
The brother and son of the victims, Ahmad Kasti, who flew in from Singapore to attend the sentencing trial was outraged when the defense argued for a sentence of 12 years confinement. Kasti made his feelings known by walking out of the courtroom just as Delorier was making this pronouncement.
Following the sentencing, DeArmond's identical twin brother Donald, accompanied by his wife and half sister, read a statement to the press saying, "My family and I want to recognize Zaleha's brother Ahmad Kasti's great loss. We have seen his sorrow over the last week, and we apologize to him on behalf of our brother. We want to thank this court and this jury, who heard all of the evidence and had the courage to do the right thing for the Navy, for the community and for our brother and his children."
Donald DeArmond and Ahmad Kasti are currently in a custody battle over the three DeArmond children, ages 3 to 6. Child Protective Services took the children into custody immediately after the homicides, and final custody will be determined by the State of Hawai'i.
Editor's Note: Many of the tragic extenuating and mitigating circumstances surrounding this case involve the victims, and we have no intention of bringing these issues to light in Hawaii Navy News. These issues are a matter of public record, and were the subject of sworn testimony in an open court of law. There is no further justice gained in making these circumstances public.
The men and women who were the members (jurors) of the court martial made their decision based on the evidence in this case. The religious preference and nationality of the victims had nothing to do with the sentencing process.
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