An attorney for the anesthesiologist accused of attempting to kill his wife on a Hawaiian hiking trail is insisting there are “two sides to every story” as new details are revealed regarding the couple’s marriage.
Gerhardt Konig pleaded not guilty to an attempted murder charge in a Honolulu courtroom on Monday.
“Dr. Konig’s not guilty plea this morning was not just a formality, but a substantive response to the allegation that he tried to kill his wife,” defense attorney Thomas Otake told reporters, according to the Associated Press.
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Last month, Konig and his wife were hiking on Oahu when he allegedly pushed her toward the edge of a cliff before attempting to inject her with a syringe and beat her in the face with a rock, according to a petition for a temporary restraining order filed by the woman’s attorneys.
Otake told the judge he would be filing a motion requesting bail for his client, citing Konig’s lack of criminal record.
Konig has been held without bail since he was indicted on March 28 and appeared in court virtually from the Oahu Community Correctional Center. If convicted, he would face the possibility of life in prison.
“There are two sides to every story, and thus far only one side has been shared,” Otake said. “The other side to this story will be shared within the court process at the appropriate time.”
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Konig has also been ordered not to have contact with his wife and their children.
The pair were visiting Oahu to celebrate the woman’s birthday while their two children stayed home with a nanny and family on Maui, according to the wife’s petition. Konig’s wife also alleged her husband had sexually abused and assaulted her, according to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital.
Prosecutors allege Konig and his wife were hiking along the “Pali Puka” trail when he asked her to stand close to the edge of the mountain to take a photo. When she declined, Konig reportedly grabbed her by her arms and began dragging her toward the cliff’s edge.
The pair began physically fighting, with Konig pulling out a syringe and attempting to inject his wife as she begged for her life, according to court documents.
“I do not know what was in the syringe, but Gerhardt is an anesthesiologist and has access to several potentially lethal medications as part of his employment,” she said.
Konig then grabbed a rock and began bashing her in the head, the woman said.
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Two women hiking the trail heard Konig’s wife’s screams and came to help, calling 911 and helping her down the trail.
“She was bleeding from her head, so you know we just had to wrap her head, stop the bleeding,” Gary Soares, a parking lot attendant at the nearby state park, told AP.
“It’s sad because he’s a doctor from Maui,” Soares said. “Doctors we should trust to care [for] us.”
Konig fled the scene on foot, prompting a manhunt before being arrested later in the evening, according to the Honolulu Police Department.
Honolulu’s prosecuting attorney’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
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In a previous statement to Fox News Digital, an attorney representing the victim said she “is focusing on her recovery at home in Maui with the support of her family,” adding that “she kindly asks that the media and the public respect their privacy during this time.”
Konig obtained his medical license in September 2022, and it remained “valid and in good standing” as of Tuesday, according to Hawaii’s professional vocational licensing website.
Konig has been suspended from his work as an independent contractor at Maui Memorial Medical Center, according to a Maui Health representative.
“Dr. Konig is employed by an independent entity contracted to provide medical services at various medical facilities on Maui, including Maui Memorial Medical Center,” the organization said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Dr. Konig’s medical staff privileges at Maui Memorial Medical Center have been suspended pending investigation. Maui Health takes these concerns and the safety of its patients very seriously and will cooperate with authorities as appropriate.”
Attorneys for both Konig and his wife did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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