Maui doctor accused of trying to murder wife takes stand, claims self-defense
A doctor on trial on allegations he attempted to murder his wife on a hiking trail in Hawaii last year took the stand in his own defense.
Updated on: April 2, 2026 / 8:25 PM EDT / CBS News
Maui anesthesiologist Dr. Gerhardt Konig is charged with second-degree attempted murder, accused of trying to push his wife, Arielle Konig, off a cliff during a hike in Honolulu on March 24, 2025, her birthday. Prosecutors allege he then assaulted her with a rock.
Gerhardt Konig hoped Thursday to persuade a Hawaiian jury that hitting his wife repeatedly with a rock was self-defense.
"She kind of grabs my wrists, and throws herself on the ground, and she hits me with a rock on the side of the face," Gerhardt Konig testified.
He responded "yes" when asked by his attorney if he "reacted to defend" himself "in the heat of the moment."