[OT] JSP parameter frustration

Resin 3.0.19. In a JSP I have this:

String param =3D URLDecoder.decode(request.getParameter("p"));

//param=3DURLDecoder.decode("%9E%9E%9E");
byte[] paramArray =3D param.getBytes();
for (int i =3D0; i<param.length(); i++) {
  System.out.print(paramArray[i];
}

If I visit the jsp with something like this (Firefox) :
http://localhost:8080/foo/index.jsp?p=3D%9E%9E%9E

I see 63 63 63 which is incorrect=20
If I uncomment the //param line I see -98 -98 -98 which is correct.
How am I supposed to extract the param properly please? Thanks.