Reform advocates blast state over COVID-related inmate deaths at prison Reform advocates blast prison officials over COVID-related deaths at Halawa By Rick Daysog | February 18, 2021 at 5:04 PM HST - Updated February 18 at 6:36 PM HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Reform advocates are asking state prison officials tough questions over recent COVID-related inmate deaths at the Halawa Correctional Facility. The virus has killed six inmates at the prison, including one man who had served behind bars for 30 years and was set to be released this month. “I just don’t understand how this possibly can happen in our system and it is just appalling to me that number one why wasn’t he released?” said attorney Robert Merce, who testified during a meeting of the Hawaii Correctional Systems Oversight Commission.