Penn receives one-year probation
By Peter Boylan
Advertiser Staff Writer
December 12, 2007
BJ Penn, a mixed martial arts fighter from Hilo, was sentenced to one-year probation and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution after he hit a Honolulu police officer during a massive melee outside of a Waikiki nightclub two years ago. As part of a deferred acceptance of no-contest plea agreement with prosecutors, the 28-year-old Penn must also abstain from alcohol, submit to substance-abuse treatment, perform 50 hours of community service and submit to random drug and alcohol tests.
If he abides by the conditions for a year, the offense of third-degree assault will be removed from his record.
Penn apologized for his actions and said he is eager to put the incident behind him. “I want to thank the fans for the support and for sticking by me through thick and thin,” said Penn, speaking outside of court yesterday. “It’s time to move on with my life and focus on my career. I’m glad it’s done.” Circuit court judge Karl K. Sakamoto also instituted a no-contact order between Penn and the police officer involved, Richardson Oscar Pouoa. He said due to the chaotic nature of the brawl and the large number of people involved, details of exactly what happened that evening are sketchy.
He did allow Penn to travel to Newcastle, England to face California’s Joe Stevenson for the lightweight world championship of the Ultimate Fighting Championship Jan. 19. “I’m sure you learned a good lesson here,” said Sakamoto, speaking in court. Penn’s attorney, Michael J. Green, said certain things took place on the night of the brawl but "never, ever, did we agree that he assaulted any police officer. “This was 3 in the morning and hundreds of people were at Zanzabar (nightclub) to celebrate BJ and there was probably too much alcohol involved although my client was not inebriated. I believe he remains an outstanding model for young people.”
Deputy city prosecutor Kimberly Iopa said she was satisfied with the sentence. “After looking at all the facts we believe it was a fair resolution,” she said after the proceedings. Penn was arrested on May 5, 2005 and later charged with first-degree assault after he allegedly punched a police officer outside the Zanzabar Night Club, which was hosting a post-event party for a professional fight card at the Blaisdell Center Arena. Penn allegedly hit Pouoa, a uniformed police officer who was on a special-duty assignment at the party for the participants of the “Rumble on the Rock 7” mixed martial arts competition.
At the time police said Pouoa, who was hit in the face, and another officer working at the club had gone outside to break up a fight among a large group of men. Police said the officers used pepper spray to disperse the crowd. Penn, whom police said was in the crowd, allegedly hit Pouoa with a blind-side punch to his left eye and tried to run away, police said. Pouoa ran after Penn and tackled him, but was immediately jumped by several other men in the crowd who tried to pull the officer off Penn, police said. At that moment, District 6 patrol officers arrived, pulled the men off Pouoa and arrested Penn on suspicion of assaulting a law-enforcement officer in the first degree, a Class C felony. The charge was later reduced to third-degree assault.
Penn is 11-4-1, and coming off a convincing submission victory over Jens Pulver in June. He is the only MMA athlete from Hawai’i to win a UFC world championship.