Update Jan 31: Hear Malu Motta tapes -- "Like, he did them like nothin', know what I mean?"

The Advertiser Jan 29 reports on the opening of the Pali shooter trial:

Ethan "Malu" Motta of Hilo will be represented by Charles Carnesi, whose clients include accused Gambino crime family scion John "Junior" Gotti, in a racketeering and murder trial....Where the money is coming from to pay Carnesi's fees and expenses — estimated by some court observers to be potentially in the hundreds of thousands of dollars — is not known....

Well, here is a guess.... 

Admitted Pali Golf Course shooter Ethan “Malu” Motta apparently had a lot of friends in Hilo—including politicians. Nine months after the January 7, 2004 O`ahu murders, hundreds of Motta’s friends gathered at Hilo’s Nani Mau Gardens to raise funds to help pay his legal fees. Billy Kenoi spoke at the event. Stacey Higa says he was given tickets. One source indicates “700 to 1,000 people” were there. The $100 tickets for the October 30, 2004 “Gathering at the Garden” invite supporters “to share this beautiful evening with family, friends and dignitaries in support of a very special man we love dearly.” A ticket obtained by Hawai`i Free Press, says the event was “Hosted by Billy K. Live & Direct.”

Kenoi, at the time was then-Mayor Harry Kim's Executive Assistant in charge of leading the campaign against methamphetamines.  He was elected Hawaii County Mayor November 4.   Kenoi recently returned from a trip to Washington DC to attend Brarck Obama's inaugural.  Higa was a County Councilman at the time of the fundraiser, he is now out of office after an unsuccessful mayoral campaign. 

OK, do the math...1000 x 100 = $100,000....That is enough to keep the Gottilawyer -- "estimated by some court observers to be potentially in the hundreds of thousands of dollars" -- fat and happy for a while.

Have there been other such fund raisers in Hilo or on Oahu? 

Are other politicians involved?

See full article:  Billy Kenoi Helped Pali Shooter 

Related article: Billy Kenoi at Shooters—and the Pali shooter—the connections