Honolulu

Honolulu Plaintiffs Win Landmark $670,000 Settlement in Discrimination Lawsuit with Enhanced Monitoring Conditions

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HONOLULU — A longstanding dispute involving discrimination allegations against the Honolulu Liquor Commission and the City concluded abruptly with a settlement on the seventh day of a non-jury trial at the Federal Court in downtown Honolulu. The plaintiffs, Scarlet Honolulu and Gay Island Guide, reached an agreement that included monetary compensation and significant policy changes within the commission. Joseph Luna, co-owner of Scarlet Honolulu, delivered a poignant testimony that significantly influenced the course of the trial. Luna recounted years of discrimination that culminated in an incident in 2021 when he was allegedly pushed by a … Read more

Man Indicted on Multiple Charges After Stabbing Near Busy Honolulu Walmart and Threatening Security Guard

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Honolulu, Hawaii – A grand jury on Oahu has charged 33-year-old Kealoha Tapu with second-degree attempted murder and first-degree terroristic threatening after a series of unsettling incidents occurred mid-June. Tapu is accused of a violent stabbing near a popular shopping area and issuing death threats towards a security guard. On June 15, in the bustling Ward-Ala Moana corridor, a security guard attempting to remove Tapu from private property on Ala Moana Boulevard encountered a life-threatening situation. Officials stated that upon being asked to vacate the premises, Tapu brandished a knife and explicitly threatened the guard’s … Read more

Former Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney and Businessman on Trial for Conspiracy and Bribery Charges

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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 … Read more

Attorney in Pay-to-Play Conspiracy Case Faces Murder-for-Hire Allegations in Honolulu Trial

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HONOLULU, Hawaii – Sheri Tanaka, an attorney charged in a pay-to-play conspiracy case involving former Honolulu Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro, has appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nathaniel M. Cousins. The U.S. Probation and Parole Office requested a review of Tanaka’s release, as a result of information provided by an informant alleging that Tanaka paid someone to kill U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Wheat. Despite these allegations, Tanaka has not been arrested or charged in connection with the murder-for-hire claim. She remains free as she awaits her trial in the conspiracy … Read more