HONOLULU -- The three men shot Wednesday all have lengthy criminal records that range from murder to auto-theft.

Lepo Taliese, 44, Tino Sao, 42, and Romelius Corpuz, 40, were shot. Taliese and Corpuz died from their injuries.

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In 1980, Taliese and three other prison inmates were convicted of a savage killing inside Oahu Community Correctional Center. Milton Nihipali, leader of a Hawaiian gang of inmates, was beaten and his throat was slit, in the prison recreation yard.

"This was one of the most brutal murders I had ever seen pictures of. I was convinced these four were involved in the murder. There was no doubt in my mind," said attorney Melvin Agena who prosecuted the case.

The killing was reportedly a retaliation hit for a murder the day before of the Samoan inmates' leader. The four defendants were sentenced to life without parole.

For years, attorney Dan Foley pursued a commutation for one of the defendants, after a minister brought the case to his attention.

"He came to me and said there's an innocent man in prison, a man in prison and sentenced to life without parole for a murder he didn't commit," Foley said several years ago.

In 1994, then Gov. John Waihee commuted the sentences of Taliese and a co-defendant. The commutation was based on evidence that supported their innocence.

Most recently, Taliese had been working as a cab driver.

Sao remains hospitalized in critical condition. In March 1992, Sao was driving drunk and crashed into a parked car on Fort Weaver Road. The passenger in his vehicle was killed. Sao was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Corpuz died of a gunshot wound to the head. He had convictions of robbery, assault and auto theft.