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OHA Trustees Working Together: From One Year to the Next!
City buys up expensive real estate in Iwilei--43% Profit for Kobayashi
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Target List: Judge refuses to protect juror identities in trial of Michael Miske
KHON: … next week the repeatedly delayed trial of the remaining defendants begins for Miske, John Stancil and Delia Fabro-Miske….
The top federal law enforcement official in Hawaii, Clare Connors, is taking the lead in the trial, but the judge today rebuffed her request to keep the jury’s names hidden from the defendants, something called semi-autonomous in legal filings.
“Having a semi-anonymous jury in any trial is for sure the exception rather than the rule. So the rule is, both sides get to know the names and identities, and certainly the place of employment, or what type of job these different jurors have,” said legal expert Doug Chin….
(Target list.)
Connors had said this time was different. In her request to the court, the United States Attorney said anonymity was warranted due to the nature of the charges, multiple instances of witness tampering, and repeated comments from potential jurors that they fear for their safety and retaliation against themselves or their families.
But Judge Derrick Watson said the jury selection process is too far along and defense counsel has known names and other identifying information about potential jurors since October, with no restriction on sharing the information with Michael and others.
(Translation: Connors is faking it. If she was for real, she would have done this months ago.)
Watson also ordered that defendants will be provided with notice of jurors’ identity two, rather than one, business days prior to their appearance….
(Easier that way.)
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ILind: Winding down…. | i L i n d
CB: The Miske Trial Is Finally Beginning. Some Potential Jurors Are Worried
read … U.S. Attorney working to protect juror identities in trial of Michael Miske | KHON2
Darwin News: Fatal overdose in Hilo jail possibly linked to Kona couple fentanyl bust
HTH: … Officers allegedly located a white powdery substance resembling fentanyl in the cell occupied by the two inmates. In the course of the investigation, police determined that a third inmate had been in the same cell shortly before the overdoses occurred.
The third inmate, 41-year-old Izaiah Shields of Kona, and his girlfriend, 37-year-old Moriah Goulette, also of Kona, were arrested Dec. 29 after being intercepted at the Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport upon arriving from San Francisco.
After executing a search warrant on Goulette’s belongings, detectives recovered 4.7 grams of fentanyl and arrested Goulette at the airport.
The two were taken to Kona Community Hospital, where they were both X-rayed, resulting in the discovery of 64.5 grams of packaged fentanyl concealed within Shield’s body, which he removed of his own accord, according to police.
The arrest of Shields and Goulette was part of a monthlong joint investigation between Homeland Security and HPD.
On Dec. 30, Goulette was charged with third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, and Shields was charged with first-degree and second-degree promotion of a dangerous drug with bail set at $10,000 and $75,000, respectively.
They remained in Kona cellblock until their initial court appearance on Tuesday. At that time, bail was maintained for both, and they were transferred to HCCC.
Shields on Thursday morning was taken to his initial court appearance in Kona. While he was out of the facility, the overdose involving his two cellmates occurred and evidence was recovered, including a white powdery substance suspected to be fentanyl, as well as packaging consistent with the suspected fentanyl recovered from Shields on Dec. 29.
Following the overdose incident, HCCC personnel searched Goulette, which resulted in the recovery of a clear zip-type packet from her mouth, police said. The packet contained a white powdery substance….
read … Darwin
A new study finds Hawaiʻi has a hit-and-run epidemic
KHON: … The study utilized data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the years between 2017 and 2021 in order to determine which states have the highest percentage of fatal motor crashes involving hit-and-run incidents.
Hawaiʻi has been number 5 in the United States with 157 hit-and-runs out of 1,853 driving fatalities during the five-year period. That is a rate of 8.49%.
Surprisingly, the greatest concentration of hit-and-run incidents was not on Oʻahu. Rather, the analysis revealed that Kauai and Maui have the most frequent fatal hit-and-run incidents.
They have a rate of 16% and 15%, respectively which drives up the state average significantly.
The study also found that the most dangerous hour for a hit-and-run to occur in Hawaiʻi is between 11 p.m. and 12 a.m. It is during this time that the rates soar to 20%.
“Statistics show that California has the worst rate in the nation. Analysis of nationwide data shows two-thirds of all hit-and-runs involved a pedestrian and a single vehicle during dark conditions,” said Richard Suzuki, founding attorney. “This suggests most hit-and-runs happen because the driver wants to avoid detection and the consequences of their actions.”
read … A new study finds Hawaiʻi has a hit-and-run epidemic
Hawaii named ‘most dangerous state’ for two-wheeled vehicles
KHON: … According to reports, Hawaii had a total of 483 fatal crashes overall, 21 of them involving cyclists and 130 of them involving a motorcycle. The state had the highest percentage of two-wheeled fatal incidents in comparison to total fatal incidents at 31.26%….
The island of Oahu ended 2023 with 55 traffic fatalities. The last fatality involving a cyclists occurred on Dec. 4, when a bicyclist was involved in a motor vehicle collision after turning into a vehicle’s path, launching them into the roadway….
Riding into 2024, there have been multiple motor vehicle collisions and incidents, some involving two-wheeled vehicles. The most recent incident happened on Jan. 3, involving an attempted murder in Makiki after a car struck a moped….
read … Hawaii named ‘most dangerous state’ for two-wheeled vehicles
The Supreme Court will decide if Donald Trump can be kept off 2024 presidential ballots
AP: … The Supreme Court said Friday it will decide whether former President Donald Trump can be kept off the ballot because of his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss, inserting the court squarely in the 2024 presidential campaign.
The justices acknowledged the need to reach a decision quickly, as voters will soon begin casting presidential primary ballots across the country. The court agreed to take up Trump’s appeal of a case from Colorado stemming from his role in the events that culminated in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Underscoring the urgency, arguments will be held on Feb. 8, during what is normally a nearly monthlong winter break for the justices. The compressed timeframe could allow the court to produce a decision before Super Tuesday on March 5, when the largest number of delegates are up for grabs in a single day, including in Colorado….
read … The Supreme Court will decide if Donald Trump can be kept off 2024 presidential ballots
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