(PNN) N. SHORE FARM WORKER ACCUSES LAYMON OF ATTEMPTED MURDER IN LEPEULI BEATING

N. SHORE FARM WORKER ACCUSES LAYMON OF ATTEMPTED MURDER IN LEPEULI BEATING

(PNN) -- A North Shore farm workers says rancher Bruce Laymon beat and tried to kill him as he was walking down the "new" trail to Lepeuli Beach on the night of May 23.

Jesse Reynolds of Anini Beach told police on May 25 that Laymon jumped out of the bushes at about 9 p.m. and beat him on the head and lower back and then dragged him by his hair and attempted to throw him over the cliff as Reynolds was going down to the beach.

"He tried to kill me" Reynolds can be heard saying on a digital audio file obtained by PNN, which was recorded by a North Shore farmer- who asked not to be identified for fear of repercussions- as Reynolds gave his statement to the police.

The incident occurred the same day that Laymon and his workers had erected a fence blocking the traditional "Ala Loa", a gently sloping ancient trail, that was apparently constructed without a required conservation district use permit (CDUP) from the state.

"Bruce Laymon's the one who did this to me" said Reynolds apparently as he showed police marks and bruises on his back and head, saying he had still had pain in his kidneys.

According to the audio recording Reynolds can be heard telling police that "Bruce Laymon came up and started hitting me for no reason."

He continued, saying that Laymon jumped out of the bushes as Reynolds was going down to the beach, saying that Laymon was accompanied by one of his workers, known to Reynolds as "BJ," and another man whom Reynolds said he could not identify.

Reynolds says he got away and briefly hid on the beach before making his way to Kilauea where he called police from a pay phone around midnight. He says he then decided not to report the alleged beating to the police at that time for fear that they might blame him due to Laymon's position in the community. In addition he said he didn't want to have to pay for an ambulance after the dispatcher asked him if she should send one so he decided to terminate the call.

Two days later, at the urging of many- including the farmer who made the audio recording- Reynolds finally did file a complaint with police, accompanied by the farmer who verified to PNN that the audio file was indeed recorded by him and that the persons on the recording were he, Reynolds and the two policemen who took the complaint.

According to the farmer, Reynolds is trying to obtain the police report and find out what the status of the case is and whether Laymon has been questions and/or arrested.