This is a classical legal problem.  The information was already publicly known.  The lawyers for the publishing company, did not find any liability.  Anyone, can sue anyone, and go to court.  The legal question is, can you win?

At a minimum, could a little heads-up, have made anything better?  Maybe not, for the author, as well as the family members.  The family members, would have emotionally & legally objected.

On a local level, does this story, reveal a hidden & ugly side of Hawaii?  Maybe, yes.

This story is loaded with mud.  Everyone gets dirty.