By Kathryn Bender, Star-Bulletin
Frank Janto with his attorney today.
"I did a lot of wrong things, but I never
meant to hurt nobody."

---

Carlisle wants a
100-year minimum for
Jackie Koja's death

By Linda Hosek
Star-Bulletin

Convicted murderer Frank Janto tearfully apologized this morning for killing a Wahiawa woman before he was sentenced to life in prison with parole.

Circuit Judge James Aiona Jr. rejected the state's call for life without parole, saying the state didn't provide sufficient notice to seek an extended term.

But he also said Janto's criminal history would speak for itself when he came before the parole board, which sets the minimum term of incarceration.

"There's no question in my mind, Mr. Janto, that this community needs to be protected from you," said Aiona, who presided over the trial in which a jury convicted Janto of beating Bongak "Jackie" Koja to death on her routine walk June 9.

City Prosecutor Peter Carlisle said he would ask the parole board to set a minimum of 100 years, which would mean the 35-year-old Janto would serve at least 331/3 years.

"This man should never be out in the community," he said after Janto's sentencing. "He should be taken from prison only on his way to the mortuary."

Carlisle said Janto, who was convicted of assault in 1991 for beating a woman walking in the early morning near the Ala Wai Canal, could not be rehabilitated.

He also said the state didn't say it might seek an extended term when it indicted Janto because "we weren't sure we have enough facts, but the evidence came out at trial."

Carlisle asked for life without parole based on Janto's "savage and remarkable criminal history." He said Janto had been convicted of stealing, sexually assaulting a child and assaulting a woman before he murdered the 56-year-old Koja.

Koja's husband, James Koja, said he didn't believe Janto's apology and couldn't accept it.

"If I did, my wife would never rest in peace," he said after the sentencing.

William Bento, Janto's attorney and deputy public defender, said 100 years was inappropriate, based on the facts and Janto's confession.

"If Janto didn't confess, the state probably would not have been able to get a conviction," he said.

Bento said Janto had accepted the jury's verdict and wanted to offer himself as an example to help younger people from taking the wrong path.

In his presentencing statement, Janto said he wanted to dedicate whatever good he could do to Jackie Koja.

He said he would try to talk to students and other inmates about steering clear of drugs and violence.

He also described a life marked by drugs to cover up the pain from a family torn apart by his brother's death.

He said he was living on the streets at age 12, suffered sexual abuse, ate out of a garbage can, grew marijuana and joined a burglary ring to survive.

"I did a lot of wrong things, but I never meant to hurt nobody," he said.

Janto said during trial that he had smoked crystal methamphetamine for three days when he beat Koja to death and dumped her in a trash bin behind Leilehua High School.

Her body was never recovered.