HONOLULU, Hawaii – More than 70 potential jurors gathered in a federal courtroom on Tuesday for the trial of former Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Keith Kaneshiro, businessman Dennis Mitsunaga, and others. The defendants are facing charges of conspiring to bribe Kaneshiro with campaign contributions in exchange for prosecuting a former Mitsunaga employee.
Senior U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess presided over the proceedings, having taken over the case after Judge J. Michael Seabright recused himself. Burgess addressed the jurors and emphasized the importance of impartiality and fair judgment in assessing the evidence to be presented by both the federal prosecutors and defense attorneys.
Outside the U.S. District Court, a long line of potential jurors patiently waited to enter the building and undergo the necessary security checks. Once inside, they were directed to a separate courtroom where they filled out questionnaires. These questionnaires will be used to narrow down the pool of potential jurors based on their written responses.
Tomorrow, the selected potential jurors will return to the courtroom for the “voir dire” phase of jury selection. This phase, derived from the French term meaning “to speak the truth,” involves the judge, federal prosecutors, and defense attorneys asking questions to assess potential biases or prejudices held by the jurors.
In June 2022, Kaneshiro, Mitsunaga, and four executives from Mitsunaga & Associates were indicted on charges of conspiracy, honest services wire fraud, and federal program bribery. The indictment alleges that they conspired to falsely charge a former Mitsunaga employee with felony theft, accusing the individual of exposing the company to liability and misappropriating funds from work done on company time with company resources.
The defendants, consisting of Mitsunaga, Kaneshiro, Terri Ann Otani, Aaron Shunichi Fujii, Chad Michael McDonald, and Sheri Jean Tanaka, have all pleaded not guilty to the federal charges.
The trial, now underway, will determine the fate of these individuals and shed light on allegations of bribery and corruption within the prosecuting attorney’s office. The jury’s task is to carefully evaluate the evidence and assess the credibility of witnesses, ensuring a fair and just verdict.