Hawaii officials wrongly arrested a homeless man for a crime committed by someone else, locked him up in a state hospital for more than two years, forced him to take psychiatric drugs and then tried to cover up the mistake by quietly setting him free with just 50 cents to his name, the Hawaii Innocence Project said in a court document asking a judge to set the record straight.
A petition filed in court Monday night asks a judge to vacate the arrest and correct Joshua Spriestersbach's records. The filing lays out his bizarre plight that started with him falling asleep on a sidewalk. He was houseless and hungry while waiting in a long line for food outside a Honolulu shelter on a hot day in 2017.
When a police officer roused him awake, he thought he was being arrested for the city's ban on sitting or laying down on public sidewalks.
But what he didn't realize was that the officer mistook him for a man named Thomas Castleberry, who had a warrant out for his arrest for violating probation in a 2006 drug case.
It's unclear how this happened as Spriestersbach and Castleberry had never met. Spriestersbach somehow ended up with Castleberry as his alias, even though Spriestersbach never claimed to be Castleberry, according to the Hawaii Innocence Project.
Spriestersbach's attorneys argue it all could have been cleared up if police simply compared the two men's photographs and fingerprints.
Instead, against Spriestersbach's protests that he wasn't Castleberry, he was eventually committed to the Hawaii State Hospital.
"Yet, the more Mr. Spriestersbach vocalized his innocence by asserting that he is not Mr. Castleberry, the more he was declared delusional and psychotic by the H.S.H. staff and doctors and heavily medicated," the petition said. "It was understandable that Mr. Spriestersbach was in an agitated state when he was being wrongfully incarcerated for Mr. Castleberry's crime and despite his continual denial of being Mr. Castleberry and providing all of his relevant identification and places where he was located during Mr. Castleberry's court appearances, no one would believe him or take any meaningful steps to verify his identity and determine that what Mr. Spriestersbach was telling the truth -- he was not Mr. Castleberry."
No one believed him -- not even his various public defenders -- until a hospital psychiatrist finally listened.
All it took were simple Google searches and a few phone calls to verify that Spriestersbach was on another island when Castleberry was initially arrested, according to the court document.
The psychiatrist asked a detective to come to the hospital, who verified fingerprints and photographs to determine the wrong man had been arrested and Spriestersbach spent two years and eight months institutionalized, the petition said, noting that it wasn't hard to determine the the real Castleberry has been incarcerated in an Alaska prison since 2016.
According to records, a 49-year-old man named Thomas R. Castleberry is in the Spring Creek Correctional Facility in Seward, Alaska. His relatives couldn't be reached for comment. The Alaska public defender listed for him declined to comment Tuesday.
The Hawaii Innocence Project document also claims Spriestersbach had ineffective counsel: the Hawaii public defender's office.
Police, the state public defender's office, the state attorney general and the hospital "share in the blame for this gross miscarriage of justice," the petition said.
Hawaii Public Defender James Tabe, Gary Yamashiroya, special assistant to the attorney general and Matt Dvonch, a spokesman for the Honolulu prosecuting attorney's office, declined to comment Tuesday.
Once the fingerprints and photographs were verified, officials moved quickly, but secretly, to release Spriestersbach in January 2020, the petition said.
"A secret meeting was held with all of the parties, except Mr. Spriestersbach, present. There is no court record of this meeting or no public court record of this meeting. No entry or order reflects this miscarriage of justice that occurred or a finding that Mr. Spriestersbach is not Thomas Castleberry," the court document said.
His lawyers said officials didn't think anyone would believe Spriestersbach or no one would care about the homeless man who fell asleep waiting for food, only to wake up to a living nightmare.
Spriestersbach, 50, who lives with his sister in Vermont, declined to comment for this story.
His sister, Vedanta Griffith, spent nearly 16 years looking for him. He moved to Hawaii with Griffith when her husband was stationed on Oahu with the Army in 2003. He moved to the Big Island and then disappeared, while suffering mental health issues, she said.
"Part of what they used against him was his own argument: `I'm not Thomas Castleberry. I didn't commit these crimes. ... This isn't me,"' she told The Associated Press. "So they used that as saying he was delusional, as justification for keeping him."
After his release, he ended up at a homeless shelter, which contacted his family.
"And then when light is shown on it, what do they do? They don't even put it on the record. They don't make it part of the case," Griffith said. "And then they don't come to him and say, `We are so sorry' or, how about even `Gee, this wasn't you. You were right all along."'
Spriestersbach now refuses to leave his sister's 10-acre property.
"He's so afraid that they're going to take him again," Griffith said.
------
AP journalist Mark Thiessen in Anchorage, Alaska, contributed to this report.
Hurricane Milton strengthens into a Category 5 storm off Mexico and threatens Florida, forecasters say.
Days after a political sign was erected outside Chip Wilson's Vancouver mansion, the waterfront property has been vandalized with graffiti.
Cissy Houston, the mother of the late Whitney Houston and a two-time Grammy winner who performed alongside superstar musicians like Elvis Presley, and Aretha Franklin, has died. She was 91.
Two people are in hospital after they were chased and shot at in what appears to be an act of road rage before eventually flipping their car while trying to escape, police say.
A Canadian soldier who was exposed to toxic chemicals from burn pits while serving in Afghanistan has been awarded full medical compensation for testicular cancer after Veterans Affairs initially denied his claim.
Sammy Basso, who was the longest living survivor of the rare genetic disease progeria, has died at the age of 28, the Italian Progeria Association said on Sunday.
The day after a minivan was set ablaze outside Vancouver City Hall, a 78-year-old man has been criminally charged.
Scurvy is not just an archaic diagnosis of 18th-century seafarers and doctors should watch for possible cases, according to researchers following a recent case.
Ceremonies, events and protests are being held across Canada today to mark the anniversary of a Hamas attack on Israel that triggered the ongoing war in Gaza.
Days after a political sign was erected outside Chip Wilson's Vancouver mansion, the waterfront property has been vandalized with graffiti.
Two people are in hospital after they were chased and shot at in what appears to be an act of road rage before eventually flipping their car while trying to escape, police say.
The day after a minivan was set ablaze outside Vancouver City Hall, a 78-year-old man has been criminally charged.
A Canadian soldier who was exposed to toxic chemicals from burn pits while serving in Afghanistan has been awarded full medical compensation for testicular cancer after Veterans Affairs initially denied his claim.
Lawyers representing the Ontario man accused of selling hundreds of suicide kits with deadly effect around the globe have filed to intervene in a case in Canada’s highest court, arguing there is no way he can be charged with murder under Canadian law.
A totem pole that has stood on the grounds of the Manitoba legislature for more than 50 years has come down.
The mayor of a state capital in southern Mexico has been killed just one week after he took office, officials said Sunday.
Israel is now at war with Hamas in Gaza and its ally Hezbollah in Lebanon. It has also vowed to strike Iran in response to a ballistic missile attack on Israel last week. Here is the latest.
Having a plan and an emergency kit before Hurricane Milton strikes is paramount and, for many Floridians, heeding warnings to evacuate could be a life-saving decision, emergency officials say.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday suggested undocumented immigrants who commit murder have 'bad genes,' in the latest example of the former president using dehumanizing rhetoric as he tries to stoke fears about those in the country illegally.
The Bay Area's fog-shrouded coast seems tailor-made for hiding ghosts from the past. But now, a research team has pulled back the curtain on a mystery that's endured for nearly 80 years: the location of a U.S. Navy destroyer known as the 'Ghost Ship of the Pacific.'
Israelis held sombre ceremonies on Monday to mark a year since the deadliest attack in the country's history, a Hamas-led raid that shattered its sense of security and ignited wars on two fronts with no end in sight.
The Oct. 7 attack by Hamas fighters on Israel last year, and the immediate Israeli retaliation that followed, sent shockwaves throughout the world that have shaken Canada culturally and politically.
Federal political parties appear to be locked in a game of chicken over a debate that has stalled almost all business in the House of Commons.
A federal inquiry says the Liberal government has consented to the public disclosure of summaries of cabinet documents about foreign interference.
Georgia's highest court reinstated a ban on nearly all abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy on Monday while it considers the U.S. state's appeal of last week's ruling by a lower court judge blocking the law.
Sammy Basso, who was the longest living survivor of the rare genetic disease progeria, has died at the age of 28, the Italian Progeria Association said on Sunday.
If your household has recently been hit by a power outage, here are ways to keep your food safe.
A spacecraft blasted off Monday to investigate the scene of a cosmic crash.
The best minds in science will be thrust from academic obscurity into the spotlight this week when the Nobel Prizes in physics, chemistry, and physiology or medicine are announced. However, there is no shortage of Nobel-worthy discoveries: Here are five breakthroughs that haven't resulted in a life-changing call from Stockholm — at least not yet.
Scientists announced on Thursday a milestone in neurobiological research with the mapping of the entire brain of an adult fruit fly, a feat that may provide insight into brains across the animal kingdom, including people.
Cissy Houston, the mother of the late Whitney Houston and a two-time Grammy winner who performed alongside superstar musicians like Elvis Presley, and Aretha Franklin, has died. She was 91.
Ticketmaster is enforcing new rules around how fans transfer Taylor Swift tickets amid a surge in reported scams.
It's been nearly 30 years since 'The Puppy Episode' of Ellen DeGeneres' hit sitcom 'Ellen' aired, where her fictional counterpart came out as gay.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal from Martin Shkreli, who was once dubbed 'Pharma Bro' after jacking up the price of a lifesaving drug.
The Federal Court of Appeal has dismissed a challenge to the construction of a massive rail-and-truck hub in the Greater Toronto Area, allowing the project to proceed.
JetBlue’s economy class passengers will no longer find hot meals on the menu aboard transatlantic flights.
Gerontologist Jay Olshansky is used to backlash about his views on human longevity. Decades ago he and his coauthors predicted children, on average, would live to only age 85 — only 1 per cent to 5 per cent might survive until their 100th birthday.
'Eat more vegetables,' doctors and dietitians say over and over. But for many people, it’s hard to do, because they aren’t excited about veggies or just don’t like them.
Travelling on a budget can be stressful, but there are ways you can ensure you're getting the best deal on flights as the holiday season approaches.
Shams Charania has been hired as ESPN's senior NBA insider, replacing his mentor Adrian Wojnarowski.
Christine Sinclair has been announced as the newest owner of Vancouver's women's professional soccer team.
Victor Lapena is out as head coach of the Canadian women's basketball team. Canada Basketball says the organization and Lapena mutually agreed to part ways.
New data from the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) shows that even though claims for auto theft dropped in the first half of 2024 compared to their 2023 peak, the rates of reported theft remain well above those of years prior.
Tesla is recalling more than 27,000 Cybertrucks because the rearview camera image may not activate immediately after shifting into reverse, the fifth recall for the vehicle since it went on sale late last year.
A Pickering, Ont., student going to college to be a mechanic is shocked the engine in his two-year-old car will not be repaired under warranty after the dealership claimed he had been 'over-revving' the engine.
A unique form of clouds made an appearance over the skies of Ottawa on Sunday evening.
Bernie Hicks, known as the ‘Batman of Amherst,’ always wanted to sit in a Batmobile until a kind stranger made it happen.
Bubi’s Awesome Eats, located on University Ave West took to social media to announce the closure on Friday.
Weeneebayko Area Health Authority and the Government of Ontario have awarded a $1.8 billion fixed-price contract to design, build and finance a new Far North hospital.
Manitobans are in cleanup mode after intense winds barreled through southern parts of the province this weekend.
Avry Wortman, 13, scored two touchdowns on Sunday during her team's win in the under 14 Greater Moncton Football Association.
A gargantuan gourd – affectionately named ‘Orangina’ by the urban gardeners who grew it in the front yard of their Vancouver home – earned the massive honour of being named B.C.’s heaviest giant pumpkin Saturday.
Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.
From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.
The day after a minivan was set ablaze outside Vancouver City Hall, a 78-year-old man has been criminally charged.
Major crime investigators have been called to the scene of a suspected homicide in the northern Vancouver Island community of Port Hardy.
A Canadian soldier who was exposed to toxic chemicals from burn pits while serving in Afghanistan has been awarded full medical compensation for testicular cancer after Veterans Affairs initially denied his claim.
Two people are in hospital after they were chased and shot at in what appears to be an act of road rage before eventually flipping their car while trying to escape, police say.
Lawyers representing the Ontario man accused of selling hundreds of suicide kits with deadly effect around the globe have filed to intervene in a case in Canada’s highest court, arguing there is no way he can be charged with murder under Canadian law.
Billionaire businessman Frank Stronach, who faces multiple sex assault charges, has had his case put over to next month as lawyers work to have the matter moved to a court in Toronto.
Less than 48 hours after his Monterey Park townhome was gutted by a fiery explosion, Calgarian Owen DeFoe returned on Monday to see what was left.
A 17-year-old boy was killed in a motorcycle crash in southeast Calgary over the weekend.
A Lethbridge police officer involved in a scandal involving former Lethbridge New Democrat MLA Shannon Phillips has been reprimanded.
The Ottawa Police Service is investigating after a body was found along a road in Barrhaven. Emergency crews responded to a report of a deceased person at approximately 10:15 a.m. Monday in the 3100 block of Greenbank Road, at Strandherd Drive.
The Ottawa Police Service says a man who was stabbed in the village of Metcalfe last month has died from his injuries.
The fate of an Ottawa man who admitted to murdering his wife and stabbing his daughter in broad daylight in 2021 is now in the hands of a jury.
Students and supporters from Montreal universities have two protests and vigils planned to mark the anniversary of the current war between Israel and Gaza.
Celine Dion introduced the marquee Dallas Cowboys - Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday Night Football game before getting drenched by orange Gatorade.
McGill University has agreed to drop a legal challenge of its law faculty's right to unionize, bringing an official end to a strike during which law professors walked off the job for more than five weeks this fall.
Albertans can start booking their annual flu and COVID shots as of Monday, with appointments beginning next week.
A Westlock, Alta., man faces several child pornography charges.
Edmonton Oilers alumni Chris Joseph and Edmonton Fire Rescue Services kicked off Read-In Week at Richard Secord School on Monday.
CTV Atlantic meteorologist Kalin Mitchell has details on rain and downpours expected Monday through early Wednesday in the Maritimes, plus an update on Hurricane Milton.
A Canadian soldier who was exposed to toxic chemicals from burn pits while serving in Afghanistan has been awarded full medical compensation for testicular cancer after Veterans Affairs initially denied his claim.
The Nova Scotia RCMP has charged a 28-year-old woman with stunting for driving 109 km/h in a 30 km/h school zone last week.
Shared Health said Manitobans could expect longer wait times in emergency departments if a strike among health-care support workers goes ahead Tuesday.
A 16-year-old male has died following a shooting over the weekend.
Winnipeg police are concerned about the well-being of an 11-year-old girl who has been missing for nearly two weeks.
Regina resident Murray Yagelniski says a city-owned tree on his property is the root of the issue behind his basement flooding.
The John Howard Society of Saskatchewan says it will appear in front of the Supreme Court of Canada this week challenging that the provincial government should not be able to punish inmates in provincial correctional centres for breaking rules based on a “balance of probabilities.”
The Saskatchewan Party says it plans to improve health services for women by providing them with a self-screening kit for HPV as an alternative to the Pap test.
In September, CTV News Kitchener reported on Sandvine's deals with autocratic governments, including Egypt, where its tech reportedly helped inject spyware into the devices of government critics.
The penalty hearing for Guelph Police constable Corey McArthur has heard from two character witnesses, both supporting an eventual return to policing for the officer who has admitted to assaulting a teen who was handcuffed to a hospital bed.
Waterloo Regional Police say two groups of people met in the area of Eagle Street North and Laurel Street, and a dispute occurred.
Saskatoon’s Prairie Harm Reduction (PHR) says a staff member arrived to work on Thursday morning to find someone at its doorstep, unresponsive from a suspected drug overdose.
The John Howard Society of Saskatchewan says it will appear in front of the Supreme Court of Canada this week challenging that the provincial government should not be able to punish inmates in provincial correctional centres for breaking rules based on a “balance of probabilities.”
As campaigning continues in the lead up to election day in Saskatchewan, a date and time has been chosen for this year's leaders' debate.
Ontario Provincial Police are investigating a fatal crash of a side-by-side off-road vehicle east of Parry Sound that killed one and injured another Friday.
A teacher working on a First Nation in northwestern Ontario has been charged with sexually assaulting a minor.
The North Bay Battalion hockey team is mourning the loss of a former player who died at 23 after a battle with cancer.
London police are investigating a break and enter and shooting incident that happened this past weekend and are looking for the two suspects involved.
One of the largest affordable housing developments in Huron County's history is nearing completion in Goderich.
The London Knights have just become instant favourites for another Ontario Hockey League (OHL) championship.
One person was taken to the hospital with what police describe as minor injuries after a loose wheel caused a collision on Highway 400 in Bradford on Monday.
Officers arrested a man accused of pointing a firearm at two people in Barrie over the weekend.
The cause of a fire that caused significant damage to a home in Oro-Medonte over the weekend is under investigation.
Students in Sports and Recreation Management at Lambton College have been given the opportunity to work alongside the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Winds through their Fundraising and Sport Sponsorship course.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized $17,000 in unreported cash at the Ambassador Bridge.
Windsor police are releasing statistics for the new Offender Management Unit that was launched earlier this year.
Major crime investigators have been called to the scene of a suspected homicide in the northern Vancouver Island community of Port Hardy.
A Canadian soldier who was exposed to toxic chemicals from burn pits while serving in Afghanistan has been awarded full medical compensation for testicular cancer after Veterans Affairs initially denied his claim.
B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad promised to “end tent cities” in the province Saturday while standing at a podium set up in front of a Kelowna encampment whose residents he acknowledged he had not spoken to.
Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.
NDP Leader David Eby is promising to offer a $75-million loan forgiveness program to entice doctors, nurses and heath professionals to expand health-care services in rural British Columbia.
Three young suspects have been arrested in connection with a swarming attack on a teenager in B.C.'s Okanagan last week – and authorities have asked the public to stop circulating disturbing videos of the incident.
A Lethbridge police officer involved in a scandal involving former Lethbridge New Democrat MLA Shannon Phillips has been reprimanded.
Lethbridge police say a man who escaped from a psychiatric ward at the Chinook Regional Hospital has been found.
While the summer may be over, construction season in Lethbridge is not.
Greater Sudbury in partnership with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, is hosting the organization's annual mining conference.
As part of an ongoing investigation, provincial police are seeking the public’s assistance in locating a Kubota tractor stolen in North Shore Township, Ont., last month.
A 33-year-old man was arrested Saturday for allegedly spraying bear mace at three individuals in northwestern Ontario.
As millions in federal funding flow into a Labrador group whose claims of Inuit identity have been rejected by Indigenous organizations across Canada, a national Inuit leader worries the Liberal government is putting the rights of Indigenous Peoples at risk.
He may not have logged the fastest time or even gone the full distance, but residents of a Newfoundland town agree the goat who unexpectedly joined the local weekend half marathon was the event's undisputed champion.
A mother in a community where the cost of living is one of the highest in the country says grocery prices are 'inhumane' and retailers are putting profits ahead of people’s basic human right to food.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
