JON RIKI KARAMATSU

On June 6, 2012, Governor Neil Abercrombie signed House Bill 238 House Draft 2, Senate Draft 1, which became law as Act 206 on 7/3/2012 (Gov. Msg. No. 1309), which creates enhanced penalties when a defendant violates a temporary restraining order and he or she has a prior conviction of a violent crime. For a first conviction for a violation of the temporary restraining order, if the person has a prior conviction for one of the following enumerated felonies: murder in the first degree, murder in the second degree, assault in the first degree, assault in the second degree, kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment in the first degree, sexual assault in the first degree, sexual assault in the second degree, sexual assault in the third degree, continuous sexual assault of a minor under the age of fourteen years, promoting child abuse in the first degree, burglary in the first degree, burglary in the second degree, and abuse of a family or household member, aggravated harassment by stalking, there is a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of fifteen days and be fined not less than $150 nor more than $600. If not, the penalty is a mandatory minimum jail sentence of forty-eight hours and be fined not less than $150 nor more than $500. This bill is part of the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu’s 2011-2012 legislative package.

We supported House Bill 2226, House Draft 2, Senate Draft 2, Conference Draft 1 on behalf of the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu, which requires the Department of Public Safety to establish an automatic information and notification system via the victim’s or concerned member of the community’s choice of telephone, text message, or electronic mail transmission on the status of the offender who is in the custody of the department. They may also get status reports on the offender. Moreover, victims or concerned members of the community will be provided a calling system with the option to receive live operator assistance with the system on a twenty-four-hours per day, three-hundred-sixty-five-days per year basis. An automated victim information and notification system governance committee and special fund will also be created. House Bill 2226 House Draft 2, Senate Draft 2, Conference Draft 1 was signed into law by Governor Neil Abercrombie as Act 190 on 6/28/2012 (Gov. Msg. No. 1293).

I attended former Senator Ron Menor’s Community Get-Together on Sunday, July 1, 2012 from 12 p.m to 3 p.m. at Pohakea Elementary School, 91-750 Fort Weaver Road, Ewa Beach. He is a candidate for Honolulu City Council for District 9, which includes Mililani, Waipio, Waikele, Royal Kunia, Village Park, Waipahu, and Ewa.

I attended my Pearl City High School 20th reunion on June 16, 2012 from 5:30 p.m. at Hilton Hawaiian Village.

On April 30, 2012, Governor Neil Abercrombie signed Senate Bill 2247, Senate Draft 2, House Draft 1, which became law as Act 094 on 4/30/2012 (Gov. Msg. No. 1195).  We inserted language from a bill in our 2012 Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney legislative package into Senate Bill 2247.

This law allows electronic communication service providers to divulge the contents of a communication to law enforcement agencies, public safety agencies, and public safety answering points when there is an emergency involving danger of death or serious bodily injury to any person.

On April 24, 2012, Governor Neil Abercrombie signed House Bill 1772 into law as Act 59.  This bill is part of the 2012 Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney legislative package, which corrects “violation of privacy in the second degree” under section 711-1111, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

In 1999, the legislature created the offense of privacy in the first degree that included a penalty of class C felony under section 711-1110.9, Hawaii Revised Statutes, where one conducts a surveillance of another person in a stage of undress or sexual activity.  The legislature exluded surveillance of another person in a stage of undress or sexual activity for the offense of violation of privacy in the second degree under section 711-1111, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and the penalty for this section is a misdemeanor.

In 2006, the legislature in a criminal omnibus bill, accidentally removed language in the offense of violation of privacy in the second degree under section 711-1111, Hawaii Revised Statutes, that excluded surveillance of another person in a stage of undress or sexual activity, thus making the language the same as the offense of privacy in the first degree under section 711-1110.9, Hawaii Revised Statutes.  Since both sections have the same type of language, case law requires us to charge the lesser charge of privacy in the second degree under section 711-1111, Hawaii Revised Statutes when the facts is about a person who surveils another person in a stage of undress or sexual activity because charging the higher offense would violate due process and the equal protection of the laws.  In State v. Modica, 58 Haw. 249, 567 P.2d 420 (1977), the Supreme Court of Hawaii noted, “where the same act committed under the same circumstances is punishable either as a felony or as a misdemeanor, under either of two statutory provisions, and the elements of proof essential to either conviction are exactly the same, a conviction under the felony statute would constitute a violation of the defendant’s rights to due process and the equal protection of the laws.”

On March 31, 2012, at 5:00 P.M., my extended family and I attended my grandma Bessie S. Karamatsu 7th annual memorial service at Honolulu Jodo Mission of Hawaii. We ate dinner at a Chinese restaurant after. I miss my grandma.

In the evening of March 29, 2012, I attended the fundraiser for Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Keith M. Kaneshiro held at the Blaisdell NBC Hall and fundraiser for Hawaii State Representative Ken Ito held at Mandalay Restaurant.

On Friday, March 16, 2012, from 8:45 A.M., I made a speech to social worker students from the University of Hawaii, Hawaii Pacific University, and Bringham Young University Hawaii at the Hawaii State Capitol auditorium in regards to the legislative process in Hawaii.  Lieutenant Governor Brian Schatz spoke about the administration’s policy that affects social workers and Honolulu Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Tricia Nakamatsu also spoke with me about the legislative process.

“There is a new wave of leadership.  There is also a new generation of leaders coming up.  We all can make a difference to better the world.  There will be people who say that one person cannot change the world.  I totally disagree with anyone who tells you this. 

You can move the masses.  How do you move the masses?  Through your ideas.  All you need is an idea.  I believe there are two ways one can move the masses.  One, put your idea into law, and two, put you idea into popular culture.  Law creates precedence.  Your law could be replicated by other states, the national government, and even other countries.  Popular culture influences the masses.  Take good notes.  Who knows, you may write a book or create a documentary film.  Maybe you could write a novel based on your experiences and maybe even create a blockbuster movie.  Today, I will talk about the law.  ‘Popular culture’ will be for another speech.”

I explained the legislative process; importance of being professional and positive; work of social workers in the Department of the Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney; and legislative policy goals of our department.

Honolulu Prosecutor Legislative Package First Lateral Deadline of Friday, February 17, 2012

First Decking Deadline is Friday, March 2, 2012 18 out of 19 Legislation is Alive

 1. Enhanced penalties for violation of TRO. a. HB238 HD2 SD 1 – House disagreed & must pass conference committee by final decking (non-fiscal bills) by 4/26/2012.

 2. Enhanced penalties for violation of an order for protection. a. HB239 HD1 – Must pass House JUD by First Decking on 3/2/2012. b. SB 1015 – Must pass Senate JDL by First Decking on 3/2/2012.

 3. DOH notification on status of offender to victim. a. SB82 SD1 – We inserted our language into Sen. Espero’s bill, and must pass Senate JDL by First Decking on 3/2/2012.

4. Increase per diem for neighbor island and out-of-state witnesses. a. HB245 HD1 SD1 – Senate WAM voting on 2/17/2012, thus positioned for conference committee or governor.

 5. Appropriations to Dept. of the Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney a. HB246 HD1 SD1 – Must pass Senate WAM by Second Decking on 4/5/2012. b. HB1779 HD1 – Must pass House FIN by First Decking on 3/2/2012.

 6. Mandatory minimum sentencing for certain offenses against persons 60 years of age or older. a. SB1023 – Must pass Senate JDL by First Decking on 3/2/2012.

 7. Person convicted of property theft over $100,000 may not be sentenced to probation. a. HB249 – Must pass House JUD by First Decking on 3/2/2012. b. SB1024 – Must pass Senate JDL by First Decking on 3/2/2012.

 8. Felonies chargeable by written information. a. HB1771 HD1 – Must pass Senate JDL by Second Decking on 4/5/2012. b. SB2058 SD1 – Must pass House JUD by Second Decking on 4/5/2012 (This bill crossed over 1st).

9. Violation of privacy (surveillance of another in stage of undress or sexual activity to be in 1st degree and all other surveillance to be in 2nd degree). a. HB1772 – Must pass House JUD by First Decking on 3/2/2012. b. SB2059 – Must pass Senate JDL by First Decking on 3/2/2012.

10. Accused to transport witness. a. HB1773 – Must pass House JUD by First Decking on 3/2/2012. b. SB2060 SD1 – Senate WAM voting on 2/17/2012, thus positioned to cross over to the House.

11. Excluding abuse of family or household members from Rule 48, HRPP. a. SB2061 SD1 – Must pass House JUD by Second Lateral on 3/23/2012.

12. Justifiable use of force on minors for discipline. a. SB2062 SD1 – Must pass House JUD by Second Decking on 4/5/2012.

13. Allows electronic communication service providers to voluntarily disclose electronic communications to governmental agency where an emergency involving danger of death or serious physical injury to any person requires such disclosure without delay. a. HB1776 HD1 – Crossing over to Senate and must pass Senate JDL by Second Decking on 4/5/2012.

14. Long-arm statute for production of records in other states. a. HB1777 HD1 – Must pass House FIN by First Decking on 3/2/2012. b. SB2064 – Must pass Senate JDL by First Decking on 3/2/2012.

15. Increases penalties for unauthorized access to computer 1st degree, 2nd degree, and 3rd degree. a. SB2066 – Must pass Senate JDL by First Decking on 3/2/2012.

16. Restitution for victims – Increase deductions from prisoners’ earnings; Withold from prisoners’ taxes; Removes court’s authority to revoke restitution once ordered. a. HB 2514 HD2 – Dept. of Public Safety is willing to work with us to insert our “restitution” language from our bill.

17. Appropriation to Judiciary for 2 judges for domestic violence cases. a. HB2351 HD1 – Stuck House JUD, which needed to be in House FIN by the First Lateral deadline of 2/17/2012. b. SB2949 – Senate JDL deferred the measure, however, Sen. Hee said he will put the appropration in the Judiciary budget bill, which is HB 1800.

18. Appropriation for Family Justice Center. a. HB2350 HD2 – Must pass House FIN by First Decking on 3/2/2012. b. SB2950 SD1 – Must pass Senate WAM by First Decking on 3/2/2012.

1 out of 19 Legislation is Dead (Unless we insert our language into another bill)

1. Involuntary Hospitalization for Sexually Violent Predators. a. HB247 HD1 – Deferred in House HLT, which needed to pass that committee by the First Lateral deadline of 2/17/2012 and be in House JUD. b. SB1022 – Deferred in Senate HTH, which needed to pass that committee by the First Lateral deadline of 2/17/2012 and be in Senate JDL.

On Friday, February 3, 2012 at 2:00 P.M., before the House Judiciary Committee, we (Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu) testified in support of our bills: House Bill 1777 that allows district court and circuit court judges to order the production of records by persons or entities located outside of the State of Hawaii, in all criminal cases. Requires that anyone in Hawaii served with criminal process from another state must comply with the criminal process; House Bill 1776 that allows electronic communication service providers to voluntarily disclose electronic communications to a governmental agency where an emergency involving danger of death or serious physical injury to any person requires such disclosure without delay; and House Bill 1778 that increases unauthorized computer access in the first degree to a class A felony, increases unauthorized computer access in the second degree to a class B felony, and increases unauthorized computer access in the third degree to a class C felony, and where unauthorized computer access in the first degree is charged based on the monetary value of information obtained, the minimum monetary value was raised to $20,000.

On Thursday, February 2, 2012 at 9:00 A.M. before the House Public Safety and Military Affairs Committee, Honolulu prosecuting Attorney Keith M. Kaneshiro testified in opposition of the Justice Reinvesment bills: House Bill 2514 and House Bill 2515 mainly because it would mandate early release of certain prisoners from prison to be on parole. We feel that the Hawaii Paroling Authority should have discretion to look at everything on a case by case basis in deciding who should be released from prison and when.  Moreover, the bills have no appropriation to pay for the increase of parole officers needed for the early release from prison proposal.

On Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 10:30 A.M., Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu Keith M. Kaneshiro testified before the House Committee on Transportation supporting House Bill 2030, which requires motorists to “move over” or slow down when passing a stationary emergency vehicle on a highway.

On Tuesday, January 31, 2012, Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Keith M. Kaneshiro testified before the Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee in support of our Honolulu Prosecutor Bills: House Bill 238, House Draft 2 – Enhanced penalties for a person who violates a temporary restraining order and has a prior conviction of a violent crime; House Bill 245, House Draft 1 – Increases per diem payments for of out-of-state and neighbor island witnesses; Senate Bill 2058 –  Amends section 806-83, HRS, to add the following felonies for which criminal charges may be instituted by written information: section 708-803 (habitual property crime), section 708-812.55 (unauthorized entry in a dwelling in the first degree), section 708-812.6 (unauthorized entry in a dwelling in the second degree), and section 708-835.7 (theft of copper); Senate Bill 2060 – Adds a new section to chapter 571, HRS, to allow family courts to require the accused to transport a witness or witnesses, including a complaining witness or witnesses when the accused has sole physical or legal custody of the witness or witnesses; Senate Bill 2061 – Codifies dismissals pursuant to Rule 48, Hawaii rules of penal procedure and exempts cases for abuse of family or household members charges from the dismissal rule. (The case law for the  constitutional right of “speedy trial” still applies); Senate Bill 2062 – This bill amends section 703-309, HRS that allows a parent or guardian to use justifiable force on a minor if it is not designed to cause or known to create a risk of causing substantial bodily injury, disfigurement, extreme pain or mental distress, or neurological damage.  With this bill, the following types of force shall be unjustifiable where it is likely to cause bodily harm greater than transient pain or minor temporary marks:  throwing, kicking, burning, biting, cutting, striking with a closed fist, shaking a minor under three years of age, striking or other actions that result in any non-accidental injury to a minor less than eighteen months of age, interfering with breathing, threatening with a deadly weapon, or striking on the face.

On Tuesday, January 31, 2012, Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Keith M. Kaneshiro testified before the Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee and Senate Public Safety, Government Operations, and Military Affairs Committee in support of House Bill 246, House Draft 1, which appropriates funds for the Department of Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu for career criminal prosecution unit, prosecution in drug court, prosecution Hawaii’s opportunity probation with enforcement, and victim witness assistance program.  This is a Honolulu Prosecutor Bill.

On Monday, January 30, 2012 at 1:15 P.M., on behalf of the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu, we testifiend before the Senate Committee on Transportation and International Affairs supporting Senate Bill 61, which requires motorists to “move over” or slow down when passing a stationary emergency vehicle on a highway.

On Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 2:50 P.M., on behalf of the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu, we testified before the Senate Public Safety, Government Operations, & Military Affairs Committee in support of Senate Bill 2247, which requires communications service providers to provide call location information upon request by public safety agencies responding to emergencies that involves the risk of death or serious physical harm. We worked with Chairman Will Espero to include some of our language from our Senate Bill 2063.

On Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 2 P.M., I testified before the House Judiciary Committee on behalf of the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu in support of House Bill 127, House Draft 1, which requires hospitals to provide emergency contraceptives to survivors of sexual assault. It passed the committee. I have supported this issue since my first legislative session as a legislator in 2003.

On Friday, January 13, 2012, at 10:30 A.M., Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Tricia Nakamatsu and I met with leaders from other legal departments in the State of Hawaii to dicuss each other’s legislation, which included Hawaii County Prosecuting Attorney Charlene Iboshi, Kauai County Prosecuting Attorney Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho via phone, Maui County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney and Appellate Division Chief Richard Minatoya, and Deputy Attorney General Lance Goto at the Attorney General’s office.

On Thursday, January 12, 2012, at 12:00 P.M. to 2:00 P.M., I attended the Ignition Interlock Task Force meeting at Alakea Corporate Tower’s conference room.

On Tuesday, January 11, 2012, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Tricia Nakamatsu, our department’s Director for Victim Witness Advocates Dennis Dunn, and I met with James Dold of Polaris Project to discuss sexual trafficking legislation at our department’s conference room. Mr. Dold traveled here from Washington D.C. where his organization is based.

On Monday, January 9, 2012, from 2:00 P.M. to 5:30 P.M., Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Tricia Nakamatsu, our department’s Director for Victim Witness Advocates Dennis Dunn, our department’s Communications Executive Assistant as well as our court dog, Pono, a black Labrador Retriever, attended the House Committee on Human Services, House Committee on International Affairs, Senate Committee on Human Services, and Senate Committee on Transportation & International Affairs’ informational briefing on human and sex trafficking. I was moved by the testimonies stated by a couple of female survivors of sex trafficking.

On Wednesday, January 4, 2012, at 11:00 A.M. I met with Speaker Calvin K.Y. Say and his advisors Calvin Azama and Clarice Hashimoto along with Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Tricia Nakamatsu and our clerk, Paul Lacuesta to discuss the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu’s 2012 Legislative Package.  At 2:00 P.M., Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Tricia Nakamatsu and I met with Veronika Geronimo and Nancy Kriedman of the Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence at their downtown office to discuss their domestic violence legislation as well as ours.

I had a meeting today, December 29, 2011 with Aloha Shipping and Packaging (ASAP), the company that my company, JRK Enterprises LLC contracts with to fulfill its orders for its DBA IslandStyleHome.com. After over 9 years of owning and managing DBA IslandStyleHome.com since August 2002, I have decided to transfer it to ASAP on January 1, 2012 so I can focus on my next business idea that I have been working on since October 2006, and my work as a legislative liaison and trial attorney. JRK Enterprises LLC will take a rest until I can publicly launch my other business idea. I have to keep moving and evolving to maximize my impact on society. I feel a little sad, but very excited at the same time.

On Sunday, November 27, 2011, I attended the Yin Sit Sha Society dinner at Empress
Restaurant from 5:30 P.M. This organization is made up of descendants of Chinese rice farmers in Punalu’u. I was invited to this event by Tricia Nakamatsu.

On Friday, November 25, 2011, I watched Cathy Lowenberg, a Honolulu Deputy Prosecuting Attorney sing with her band “Missing Dave at “The Edge”. I really enjoyed it!

On Saturday, November 19, 2011 from 6:00 P.M., I attended my 2nd cousin Tatum’s 6th birthday.

On Saturday, November 12, 2011 from 6:00 P.M., I attended the Charming China Contemporary Classic Art Exhibition Dinner at Jade Dynasty Restaurant in Ala Moana Shopping Center.

The Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu advocated for a bill, passed by the Hawaii State Legislature this year, that included language from three of the Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney’s 2011 Legislative Package’s bills that makes promoting prostitution a Class A felony; makes “habitual solicitation of prostitution” a Class C felony; and gives victims of prostitution better access to witness protection [House Bill 240, SD1, CD1 became Act 145, on 6/20/2011 (Gov. Msg. No. 1248)].  The department also played a key role in passing a bill that extended the time for temporary restraining orders from 90 days to 180 days [House Bill 968, HD1, SD1 became Act 085, on 6/8/2011 (Gov. Msg. No. 1188)].

On Sunday, October 30, 2011 from 6:00 P.M., I attended the Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce Halloween party at Queen Kapiolani Hotel.

On Tuesday, November 1, 2011, from 4:00 P.M., I attended the swearing-in ceremony of new Oahu Circuit Court Judge Karen Tooko Nakasone at the Hawaii Supreme Court.  I saw a lot of friends, including former Hawaii Supreme Court Justice Ronald T.Y. Moon who I worked with closely when I served as Judiciary Committee Chairman in the Hawaii House of Representatives from 2008 to 2010.  I congratulate newly sworn-in Judge Karen Tooko Nakasone, and maybe I will appear before her as a trial attorney in the near future?

Today, November 4, 2011, I litigated a trial in Waianae District Court located in the Kapolei Courthouse that included speeding (Count 1) and OVUII (Mental impairment charge only in count 2). The court found a conviction on the speeding and dismissed the OVUII based on the totality of the circumstances.

 I attended the International Drug Trafficking Summit hosted by the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu on Wednesday, October 26 to Friday, October 28, 2011 at Hyatt Regency hotel in Waikiki. Participants included prosecuting attorneys and law enforcement officials from India, Thailand, Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Mexico, Guatemala, Hawaii, Texas, Oregon, Oklahoma, and other locations.

On Wednesday, October 5, 2011, I won a bench trial in Waianae District Court located in the Kapolei Courthouse on a case where the defendant did not wear a seatbelt while driving a vehicle.

On Friday, September 16, 2011, I won 2 speeding trials at Waianae District Court located in the Kapolei Courthouse.

Grandpa Tadao Sakai: Taught me to be kind to everyone. He always watched me play sports, taught me how to ride a bike, and was always there for me.  He is the most compassionate person I have ever known and I try to be like him everyday.  My grandpa owned a construction company in Kauai that did a number of projects including what he called, “the rock wall” or dam in Waimea Valley Kauai to protect the community from floods.  He ended his career as an inspector for the Department of Transportation, State of Hawaii, working on the H-1 and H-2 freeways.

Grandma Ellen Sakai: Taught me the importance of education.  She was so proud of all her grandchildren.  She always wanted one of us to become a medical doctor because she felt it was a profession that could really help people.  My sister Mia Lei Karamatsu fulfilled her dream.  My grandma was a seamstress for a department store.

On Wednesday, August 31, 2011, from 5:00 PM, I participated in a video shoot for Takami Corporation’s Terrace by the Sea re-development project in Kaka’ako.  This project was led by my dear friend Scott Dunn who passed away not too long ago.  I met his business partner Jeannie Murata who video taped me at the Hawaii State Capitol.  Takami Corporation bought the property of the old John Dominis Restaurant.  I met the President of the company, Mr. Takami through Scott at my office.  A couple of years ago, I was supposed to go to Japan with Scott and Jeannie for a big party hosted by Mr. Takami, but I was busy campaigning for Lt. Governor, among other things.  I wish I went and spent some fun time with Scott.  Helping this project makes me feel Scott is still here.

I attended Slopes of Diamond Head’s Crazy, Sexy, 10 on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 from 6:00 PM at Oceans.  I saw a lot of friends and people I have worked with over the years.  There were a lot of attorneys there that I have recently worked with or against.

On Monday, August 29, 2011, I attended the Hawaii State Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee hearing   from 12:00 PM in room 016 regarding the consideration and confirmation of Karen Tooko Nakasone as judge of the Circuit Court of the First Circuit, State of Hawaii.  I submitted testimony in support.  I got to know Karen while attending many community events over the years and recently worked with her on trying to better the process when the court sentences offenders concurrently or consecutively.  She has knowledge and importantly, a good personality that would make her qualified as a judge.

On Friday, August 19 and Saturday, August 20 in the evenings, I helped with the Jodo Mission of Hawaii Bon Dance as an MC and with clean-up.  On Sunday, August 21 in the morning, we took down the yagura. 

On Sunday, August 21 from 11 AM – 2 PM, I attended Ethan Karamatsu’s 1st Birthday party at the Japanese Cultural Center.  Ethan is my cousin Grant Karamatsu and Christine Ogawa  Karamatsu’s son.

On Thursday, August 25 from 6 PM – 9 PM, I attended Governor Neil Abercrombie’s fundraiser dinner at Hilton Hawaiian Village.  I sat on the Royal Aloha Vacation Club Table.  My friend Owen Iida invited me. He is an attorney with Imanaka Kudo & Fujimoto, and the Royal Aloha Vaction Club is a client of theirs. I saw many friends there, including my inner circle of close friends.

On Friday, August 26 from 6 PM – 10 PM, I attended the Hawaii Professionals Foundation Fundraiser for Boys & Girls Club at Oceans 808 in Restaurant Row.  I sat on the L&L table through my friend Bryan Andaya who is the Vice President & COO of the company.  My friends Ryan Sanada and Jodie (Sawai) Sanada, Dan Chen, and Owen Iida were there.  I saw my friend Spencer and my sister Lara as well.

In this case, the Defendant touched the Complaining Witness’ vagina over her panty in front of an elevator in an apartment building in Waikiki, which was caught on the building’s surveillance video.  I received this case as a special assignment by the Traffic/Misdemeanor Division.  The Public Defender represented the Defendant.  On July 26, 2011, Defense filed a Notice of Alibi and a Motion to Supress Identification.  The case appeared to be heading towards a trial.  I gathered more facts from the complaining witness, and I filed a Response to the Notice of Alibi and Response to the Motion to Supress Identification on August 12, 2011.  At the August 15, 2011 court hearing, Defense withdrew their Motion to Suppress Identification.  At the court hearing on Thursday, August 25, 2011, Defense gave up and pled “no contest” to the charge of Sexual Assault in the Fourth Degree.

I won my third bench trial regarding a violation of a stay away order on Wednesday, August 10, 2011.  The  Defendant (represented by private counsel) was on probation for a Harassment conviction.  He violated the stay away order by knocking on complaining witness’ door.