Vital piece of evidence in investigation into Maui jail riot goes missing

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - A critical piece of evidence in the investigation into a riot at Maui’s Community Correctional Center has gone missing, sources tell Hawaii News Now.

An internal memo provided to Hawaii News Now confirms that a SIM card from one of the cameras inside the jail that may have recorded the riot cannot be found.

Maui correctional leaders sent out the internal memo asking for the card to be returned.

The memo characterizes the SIM card as a “vital part” of the ongoing investigation.

A SIM card stores data, and in this case would contain the recordings captured on the day of the riot.

It’s unclear how many cameras were collecting video evidence of the riot, or if they were damaged in the melee.

The riot last month involved more than 200 inmates, and left behind significant damage to the facility. Public Safety officials have characterized the riot as a symptom of overcrowding, but Maui staff members contend other problems may have also contributed to the incident.