A Hawaii doctor convicted of attempting to kill his wife could have his conviction overturned following concerns about potential jury tampering. Gerhardt Konig, an anesthesiologist, was found guilty in April of attempted manslaughter for the March 2025 incident in which he allegedly tried to push his wife, Arielle, off a cliff on Oahu.
Konig's defense team has raised concerns after a text message appeared on a YouTube livestream during the jury's deliberations. The comment stated, "I've been texting with one of the juror's [sic] and they're going for count 3 attempted manslaughter." Konig was subsequently convicted of that specific charge. His attorneys argue this indicates a potential breach of jury rules, suggesting outside influence or extraneous information reached the jury.
The defense acknowledges that the full extent of what occurred remains unclear but has filed a motion citing substantial concerns about jury impartiality. The text message was initially brought to the attention of prosecutors by an anonymous individual who noticed its predictive content. While prosecutors acknowledged the comment was problematic, they argued it did not automatically constitute grounds for a new trial unless proof of external influence was established.
Further complicating the case, statements made by jurors after the verdict have also been cited by Konig's defense. The jury foreperson, Makalapua Atkins, stated in a sworn affidavit that the jury did not unanimously believe Konig had the intent to kill his wife. Another juror, identified as Juror #3, reportedly commented that Konig seemed "emotionally unstable" and questioned whether he had the personal capacity to kill his wife, though they believed he had the capacity to do so.
Konig's attorneys contend that these post-verdict juror statements support their argument that the jury did not find the specific intent required for attempted murder, suggesting that a conviction for attempted reckless manslaughter is not recognized under Hawaii law. They also argue that since Konig was acquitted of second-degree murder, a new trial cannot revisit that charge.
Prosecutors, however, have pushed back, describing the foreperson's comments as an example of jurors sharing their thought processes, which they argue are not secret. They contend that jurors might feel pressured knowing their deliberations could be scrutinized.
Konig was facing up to 20 years in prison and was scheduled for sentencing on August 13. That hearing has been postponed indefinitely pending the investigation into the livestream comment and the other juror statements. A new hearing is set for September 11, when the jurors are expected to return to court to address these matters before a decision is made on whether to grant a new trial.
Prosecutors had alleged that Konig planned to kill his wife, an engineer, during a trip to Honolulu for her birthday due to her alleged emotional affair with a coworker. The incident occurred on the Pali Puka Trail, where Konig reportedly attempted to push Arielle off a cliff, use a syringe on her, and strike her with a rock before being interrupted by hikers. Konig testified that he acted in self-defense and that his wife attacked him first. Arielle testified that her husband attacked her and attempted to drag her over the cliff's edge. She has since filed for divorce. Konig's son from a previous marriage also testified, stating his father admitted to trying to kill Arielle.