Galen Fox
Encyclopedia
Galen Fox is a former Hawaii
state representative who resigned from the Hawaii legislature on December 1, 2005 after being convicted of misdemeanor sex abuse charges.
’s Laboratory School and at Punahou School
. Fox received a B.A.
magna cum laude from the University of Redlands
, a Ph.D.
in Public Affairs from Princeton University
, and was an International Affairs Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations
, New York
.
Fox was elected to Hawaii
's State House in November 1996 as a representative of Hawaii's 23rd District, serving the Waikiki
and Ala Moana
district, and was re-elected in 2000, 2002 and 2004. He served as House Republican
Leader and was also a member of the Finance, Labor and Transportation committee.
with another person without their consent
.
On December 18, 2004, Fox was aboard United Airlines
Flight 56 from Honolulu to Los Angeles
. During the flight, Fox was seated next to an Asian
female passenger. The woman later told investigators with the FBI that she had taken Dramamine because she wanted to rest and fell asleep holding a folded airline blanket on her lap, her arms crossed over her blanket. Fox testified during his trial that after he placed his arm on the arm rest, the sleeping woman did not move her own arm from the arm rest. Later, he pressed his leg against hers. Fox claimed that he believed that because the sleeping woman did not move away, she was "giving him a nonverbal clue that she was sexually interested".
Fox then proceeded to unbutton and unzip the sleeping woman's jeans and placed his hand on her crotch. The woman awoke to find Fox fondling her and quickly confronted him. According to court transcrips, Fox apologized for touching her, then pretended to go to sleep. The woman promptly alerted her parents who sat across the aisle from her and then notified flight attendants, who moved them to other seats.
Police
officers and FBI agents were waiting in Los Angeles
when the flight arrived. Fox was arrested and, during an interview with Special Agent Rodney G. Fung of the FBI's Los Angeles International Airport
Office, Fox denied rubbing the woman's crotch or unzipping her jeans. He admitted to reaching over to touch the woman, whom he described as an attractive Asian woman, and said that he should not have been touching her. According to Fung's affidavit
, Fox "reiterated he was only reaching to touch her hand and could not explain why he wanted to touch her hand."
Fox was put on trial in the Central District
of California
on October 20, 2005. The trial was presided over by U.S. District Judge Margaret Nagle. During the trial, Fox admitted to Nagle that he had touched the woman's thigh and crotch during the flight. Fox also admitted that the woman did not react or make any sound when he was rubbing her thigh and her crotch area, and that she did not invite his conduct nor give him consent
to touch her. According to court transcripts reported on by the Honolulu Star-Bulletin
, Nagle asked if Fox intended to move his hand up along her thigh, for whatever purpose, and Fox answered, "yes."
Nagle then asked Fox: "And you did rub her crotch. That was an intentional act?" Fox's answer was again "yes."
Despite his admission
in court and subsequent conviction, Fox denied that he had done anything wrong. According to news reports published in the Hawaii Reporter, Fox insisted that he was innocent. Fox told reporters, "I vigorously fought the charges against me, which I hold to be untrue." In addition, Fox told KITV
he hoped his conviction would remain a secret so he could serve out his term in office. He also told KITV the same story he told the Hawaii Reporter: "In my heart I know I didn't do it."
Fox told KITV that he informed the governor's office shortly after he was arrested 11 months ago. Lingle's spokesman told KITV 4 she found out about it then. Then the spokesman called KITV Tuesday night and said he was mistaken. He said people in the governor's office knew about the arrest, but the governor did not. (from KITV.COM Story posted: 4:43 pm HST November 1, 2005)
.". Fox also told Nagle that he was innocent, stating "I cannot admit to something that I did not do."
During the court hearing, Nagle read parts of a letter from the victim. "Since that flight, I have had difficulty sleeping and I have been having nightmare
s of Galen Fox," the victim wrote. "I brought this case because I had the right to sleep on a plane without being groped."
Fox was sentenced by Nagle to three months of house arrest
, three years probation
and a $2,500 fine. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender
. Nagle stated that she imposed the house arrest sentence because Fox was a "defendant who is unable to admit that he is at fault in any way."
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
state representative who resigned from the Hawaii legislature on December 1, 2005 after being convicted of misdemeanor sex abuse charges.
Biography
Galen Fox was born in Hilo, Hawaii, raised in Honolulu, and educated at the University of HawaiiUniversity of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
’s Laboratory School and at Punahou School
Punahou School
Punahou School, once known as Oahu College, is a private, co-educational, college preparatory school located in Honolulu CDP, City and County of Honolulu in the U.S. State of Hawaii...
. Fox received a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
magna cum laude from the University of Redlands
University of Redlands
The University of Redlands is a private liberal arts and sciences university located in Redlands, California. The university's campus sits on near downtown Redlands. The university was founded in 1907 and was associated with the American Baptist Church. The land for the university was donated by...
, a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in Public Affairs from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, and was an International Affairs Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations
Council on Foreign Relations
The Council on Foreign Relations is an American nonprofit nonpartisan membership organization, publisher, and think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international affairs...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Fox was elected to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
's State House in November 1996 as a representative of Hawaii's 23rd District, serving the Waikiki
Waikiki
Waikiki is a neighborhood of Honolulu, in the City and County of Honolulu, on the south shore of the island of Oahu, in Hawaii. Waikiki Beach is the shoreline fronting Waikīkī....
and Ala Moana
Ala Moana
Ala Moana is the name of a commercial, retail and residential district of Honolulu, Hawaii nestled between Waikīkī to the east and Kakaako and Honolulu Harbor to the west...
district, and was re-elected in 2000, 2002 and 2004. He served as House Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Leader and was also a member of the Finance, Labor and Transportation committee.
Sex offense
Galen Fox was found guilty of misdemeanor sexual battery and misdemeanor abusive sexual contactSexual abuse
Sexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual behavior by one person upon another. When that force is immediate, of short duration, or infrequent, it is called sexual assault. The offender is referred to as a sexual abuser or molester...
with another person without their consent
Consent
Consent refers to the provision of approval or agreement, particularly and especially after thoughtful consideration.- Types of consent :*Implied consent is a controversial form of consent which is not expressly granted by a person, but rather inferred from a person's actions and the facts and...
.
On December 18, 2004, Fox was aboard United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
Flight 56 from Honolulu to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. During the flight, Fox was seated next to an Asian
Asian people
Asian people or Asiatic people is a term with multiple meanings that refers to people who descend from a portion of Asia's population.- Central Asia :...
female passenger. The woman later told investigators with the FBI that she had taken Dramamine because she wanted to rest and fell asleep holding a folded airline blanket on her lap, her arms crossed over her blanket. Fox testified during his trial that after he placed his arm on the arm rest, the sleeping woman did not move her own arm from the arm rest. Later, he pressed his leg against hers. Fox claimed that he believed that because the sleeping woman did not move away, she was "giving him a nonverbal clue that she was sexually interested".
Fox then proceeded to unbutton and unzip the sleeping woman's jeans and placed his hand on her crotch. The woman awoke to find Fox fondling her and quickly confronted him. According to court transcrips, Fox apologized for touching her, then pretended to go to sleep. The woman promptly alerted her parents who sat across the aisle from her and then notified flight attendants, who moved them to other seats.
Police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
officers and FBI agents were waiting in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
when the flight arrived. Fox was arrested and, during an interview with Special Agent Rodney G. Fung of the FBI's Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually...
Office, Fox denied rubbing the woman's crotch or unzipping her jeans. He admitted to reaching over to touch the woman, whom he described as an attractive Asian woman, and said that he should not have been touching her. According to Fung's affidavit
Affidavit
An affidavit is a written sworn statement of fact voluntarily made by an affiant or deponent under an oath or affirmation administered by a person authorized to do so by law. Such statement is witnessed as to the authenticity of the affiant's signature by a taker of oaths, such as a notary public...
, Fox "reiterated he was only reaching to touch her hand and could not explain why he wanted to touch her hand."
Fox was put on trial in the Central District
Central District
There is more than one place called Central District, Center District or Centre District:*Central District *Center District, Israel*Tsentralny District, Russia*Central District, Seattle*Central, Hong Kong...
of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
on October 20, 2005. The trial was presided over by U.S. District Judge Margaret Nagle. During the trial, Fox admitted to Nagle that he had touched the woman's thigh and crotch during the flight. Fox also admitted that the woman did not react or make any sound when he was rubbing her thigh and her crotch area, and that she did not invite his conduct nor give him consent
Consent
Consent refers to the provision of approval or agreement, particularly and especially after thoughtful consideration.- Types of consent :*Implied consent is a controversial form of consent which is not expressly granted by a person, but rather inferred from a person's actions and the facts and...
to touch her. According to court transcripts reported on by the Honolulu Star-Bulletin
Honolulu Star-Bulletin
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin was a daily newspaper based in Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. At the time publication ceased on June 6, 2010, it was the second largest daily newspaper in the state of Hawaii...
, Nagle asked if Fox intended to move his hand up along her thigh, for whatever purpose, and Fox answered, "yes."
Nagle then asked Fox: "And you did rub her crotch. That was an intentional act?" Fox's answer was again "yes."
Despite his admission
Admission
Admission may refer to:*Admission to an event or establishment*University and college admissions*Admission , a statement that may be used in court against the person making it...
in court and subsequent conviction, Fox denied that he had done anything wrong. According to news reports published in the Hawaii Reporter, Fox insisted that he was innocent. Fox told reporters, "I vigorously fought the charges against me, which I hold to be untrue." In addition, Fox told KITV
KITV
KITV is the American Broadcasting Company television station affiliate licensed to Honolulu, Hawaii. Based in Honolulu and broadcasting on digital channel 40, displayed as channel 4 the station is owned by Hearst Television and operates several satellites and translators on all the major Hawaiian...
he hoped his conviction would remain a secret so he could serve out his term in office. He also told KITV the same story he told the Hawaii Reporter: "In my heart I know I didn't do it."
Resignation
Fox submitted his resignation from the Hawaii state legislature on November 1, 2005. The resignation became effective on December 1, 2005.Fox told KITV that he informed the governor's office shortly after he was arrested 11 months ago. Lingle's spokesman told KITV 4 she found out about it then. Then the spokesman called KITV Tuesday night and said he was mistaken. He said people in the governor's office knew about the arrest, but the governor did not. (from KITV.COM Story posted: 4:43 pm HST November 1, 2005)
Sentencing
On January 26, 2006, Fox appeared before Nagle for sentencing. According to the Hawaii Reporter, during the sentencing hearing, Fox stated that he had "hoped for romance with the young woman and had touched her leg and arm, taking her complete lack of response as consentConsent
Consent refers to the provision of approval or agreement, particularly and especially after thoughtful consideration.- Types of consent :*Implied consent is a controversial form of consent which is not expressly granted by a person, but rather inferred from a person's actions and the facts and...
.". Fox also told Nagle that he was innocent, stating "I cannot admit to something that I did not do."
During the court hearing, Nagle read parts of a letter from the victim. "Since that flight, I have had difficulty sleeping and I have been having nightmare
Nightmare
A nightmare is an unpleasant dream that can cause a strong negative emotional response from the mind, typically fear or horror, but also despair, anxiety and great sadness. The dream may contain situations of danger, discomfort, psychological or physical terror...
s of Galen Fox," the victim wrote. "I brought this case because I had the right to sleep on a plane without being groped."
Fox was sentenced by Nagle to three months of house arrest
House arrest
In justice and law, house arrest is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to his or her residence. Travel is usually restricted, if allowed at all...
, three years probation
Probation
Probation literally means testing of behaviour or abilities. In a legal sense, an offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, often under the supervision of a probation officer...
and a $2,500 fine. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender
Sex offender
A sex offender is a person who has committed a sex crime. What constitutes a sex crime differs by culture and by legal jurisdiction. Most jurisdictions compile their laws into sections such as traffic, assault, sexual, etc. The majority of convicted sex offenders have convictions for crimes of a...
. Nagle stated that she imposed the house arrest sentence because Fox was a "defendant who is unable to admit that he is at fault in any way."
External links
- - Hawaii Reporter article
- - Honolulu Star-Bulletin article
- - San Jose Mercury News article
- - Los Angeles Times article
- - USA Today article
- - Honolulu Star-Bulletin
- - KGMB Channel 9 Television Station
- - Blog site
- -Another blog site
- - Honolulu Advertiser article
- - Star Bulletin article