Galen Fox

Galen Fox (born February 24, 1943) is a former Hawaii State Representative of the Republican Party 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 Laboratory School and at Punahou School. Fox received a Bachelor of Arts 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 City.

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.

Sex offense 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 transcripts, 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.

Fox submitted his resignation from the Hawaii state legislature on November 1, 2005. His resignation became effective on December 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 consent." 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 and to take a psychiatric examination or sex offender treatment. 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."