www.thegardenisland.com Open in urlscan Pro
35.184.218.133  Public Scan

Submitted URL: http://links.thegardenisland.com/u/click?_t=b75b160b09b44e089be9aeca465dc46c&_m=f45cb97d89bc40e5919e39f4e9392086&_e=zsK5sUiJjcUYD...
Effective URL: https://www.thegardenisland.com/2024/04/25/hawaii-news/mitsunaga-ordered-to-remain-in-jail-for-duration-of-trial/?utm_source=new...
Submission: On April 25 via api from US — Scanned from DE

Form analysis 3 forms found in the DOM

GET https://www.thegardenisland.com

<form class="form-horizontal" method="get" action="https://www.thegardenisland.com">
  <div class="form-group">
    <div class="style_row">
      <div class="row search-row">
        <div class="col-search-text col-xs-9 col-sm-9 col-md-9"> <input class="form-control" type="text" name="s" id="txt-search" placeholder="What are you looking for?" style="width:208px; border-radius: 0;"> </div>
        <div class="col-search-button col-xs-3 col-sm-3 col-md-3"> <button id="btn-search" type="button" class="btn btn-primary"><i class="fa fa-search" style="font-size:14px"></i></button> </div>
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>
</form>

GET https://www.thegardenisland.com

<form class="form-horizontal" method="get" action="https://www.thegardenisland.com">
  <div class="form-group">
    <div class="style_row">
      <div class="row search-row">
        <div class="col-search-text col-xs-11 col-sm-11 col-md-11" style="padding-right: 5px !important;">
          <input class="form-control" type="text" name="s" id="txt-search-mobile" placeholder="What are you looking for?" style="width:208px; border-radius: 0;">
        </div>
        <div class="col-search-button col-xs-1 col-sm-1 col-md-1">
          <button id="btn-search-mobile" type="button" class="btn btn-primary"><i class="fa fa-search" style="font-size:14px"></i></button>
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>
</form>

POST https://www.thegardenisland.com/wp-comments-post.php?wpe-comment-post=gardenisland

<form action="https://www.thegardenisland.com/wp-comments-post.php?wpe-comment-post=gardenisland" method="post" id="commentform" class="comment-form" novalidate="">
  <p class="comment-notes"><span id="email-notes">Your email address will not be published.</span> <span class="required-field-message">Required fields are marked <span class="required">*</span></span></p>
  <p class="comment-form-author"><label for="author">Name</label> <span class="required">*</span><input id="author" name="author" type="text" value="" size="30" aria-required="true"></p>
  <p class="comment-form-email"><label for="email">Email</label> <span class="required">*</span><input id="email" name="email" type="text" value="" size="30" aria-required="true"></p>
  <p class="tgi-comment-notes">By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have agreed to the <a href="https://www.thegardenisland.com/terms-of-service/">TERMS OF SERVICE</a>. An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is
    encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal attacks. If your comments are inappropriate, you may be banned from posting. To report comments that you believe do not follow our guidelines,
    <a href="mailto:webmaster@thegardenisland.com, editor@thegardenisland.com">send us an email</a>.</p>
  <p><textarea placeholder="Post your comment..." id="comment" name="comment" cols="45" rows="8" aria-required="true"></textarea></p>
  <div><label>For security purposes, check this box before commenting</label>
    <div class="gglcptch gglcptch_v2">
      <div id="gglcptch_recaptcha_921039938" class="gglcptch_recaptcha">
        <div style="width: 304px; height: 78px;">
          <div><iframe title="reCAPTCHA" width="304" height="78" role="presentation" name="a-waba5iutupwf" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"
              sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-top-navigation allow-modals allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-storage-access-by-user-activation"
              src="https://www.google.com/recaptcha/api2/anchor?ar=1&amp;k=6LeHXTQUAAAAAD3afD5a2Fx50T2unOBHX7Ml3BlM&amp;co=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlZ2FyZGVuaXNsYW5kLmNvbTo0NDM.&amp;hl=de&amp;v=V6_85qpc2Xf2sbe3xTnRte7m&amp;theme=light&amp;size=normal&amp;cb=bh93ymp3y1gf"></iframe>
          </div><textarea id="g-recaptcha-response" name="g-recaptcha-response" class="g-recaptcha-response"
            style="width: 250px; height: 40px; border: 1px solid rgb(193, 193, 193); margin: 10px 25px; padding: 0px; resize: none; display: none;"></textarea>
        </div><iframe style="display: none;"></iframe>
      </div>
      <noscript>
        <div style="width: 302px;">
          <div style="width: 302px; height: 422px; position: relative;">
            <div style="width: 302px; height: 422px; position: absolute;">
              <iframe src="https://www.google.com/recaptcha/api/fallback?k=6LeHXTQUAAAAAD3afD5a2Fx50T2unOBHX7Ml3BlM" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="width: 302px; height:422px; border-style: none;"></iframe>
            </div>
          </div>
          <div style="border-style: none; bottom: 12px; left: 25px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; right: 25px; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px solid #c1c1c1; border-radius: 3px; height: 60px; width: 300px;">
            <textarea id="g-recaptcha-response" name="g-recaptcha-response" class="g-recaptcha-response"
              style="width: 250px !important; height: 40px !important; border: 1px solid #c1c1c1 !important; margin: 10px 25px !important; padding: 0px !important; resize: none !important;"></textarea>
          </div>
        </div>
      </noscript>
    </div>
  </div>
  <p class="form-submit"><input name="submit" type="submit" id="submit" class="submit" value="Submit"> <input type="hidden" name="comment_post_ID" value="389390" id="comment_post_ID">
    <input type="hidden" name="comment_parent" id="comment_parent" value="0">
  </p>
</form>

Text Content

 * About
 * Print Replica
 * Advertise
 * Contact Us
 * 
 * 

 * Subscribe
 * Log In
   
 * Account
   * My Account
   * Manage Print Subscription
   * Email Preferences
   * Change Password
   
   * --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   
   * Log Out
   

 * Home
 * Hawaii News
   * Politics
   * CARES Act on Kauai
   * Hometown Heroes
   * Submit News
   * Email Newsletter
 * Sports
   * KIF Sports Planner
 * Opinion
   * In Our Opinion
   * Guest Opinion
   * Letters to Editor
   * Submit a Letter
 * Lifestyles
   * Births
   * Happy Camper
   * Health and Fitness
   * Talk Story
   * Critter of the Week
   * Island History
 * Entertainment
   * Music
   * Calendar
   * Submit Event
   * Comics
   * Political Cartoons
   * Horoscopes
   * Puzzles
   * Sudoku
   * Crosswords
   * Word Games
 * Obituaries
 * Classifieds
   * Cars
 * Legal Ads
 * Real Estate
 * Jobs
   * TGI Jobs
   * Hawaii Jobs
 * More
   * Business
   * Archive
   * Special Sections
   * Partner Content
 * Search
   
   Please specify a search term.

Toggle navigation


Make Longs a part of your day.  

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subscribe My Account Log In
 * Home
 * Sports
 * Lifestyles
 * Comics
 * Business

 * Hawaii News
 * Opinion
 * Entertainment
 * Puzzles
 * Obituaries

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 * Print Replica
 * Classifieds
 * Cars
 * Weather
 * Calendar
 * Partner Content

 * Jobs
 * Legal Ads
 * Real Estate
 * Archive
 * Special Sections
 * Email Newsletter

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Log Out




Please specify a search term.

Thursday, April 25, 2024 | Today's Paper | 71.591°


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Hawaii News


MITSUNAGA ORDERED TO REMAIN IN JAIL FOR DURATION OF TRIAL

By Peter Boylan Star-Advertiser | Thursday, April 25, 2024, 12:05 a.m.

Share this story







Cindy Ellen Russell / Star-Advertiser

Hawaii businessman Dennis Mitsunaga, above left, was ordered to remain in
custody for the duration of his public corruption trial because of alleged
witness tampering.





HONOLULU — A federal magistrate judge ordered prominent Hawai‘i businessman and
political donor Dennis Mitsunaga to remain jailed for the duration of his public
corruption trial because of alleged witness tampering.



HONOLULU — A federal magistrate judge ordered prominent Hawai‘i businessman and
political donor Dennis Mitsunaga to remain jailed for the duration of his public
corruption trial because of alleged witness tampering.

Mitsunaga, 82, was arrested by agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation
on Friday and spent the weekend in jail. Mitsunaga had been free on an unsecured
appearance bond of $50,000.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Nathanael M. Cousins revoked his bail and Monday ordered
that he remain at the Federal Detention Center, Honolulu, after members of the
defense team allegedly leaked grand jury testimony, according to federal court
documents.

One of Mitsunaga’s employees also allegedly tried to convince one of Mitsunaga’s
friends, a former Honolulu police officer, to change his story at trial.

Cousins wrote in his order issued Monday that federal prosecutors established by
“more than clear and convincing evidence” that Mitsunaga violated the pretrial
release condition that he have “no contact, directly or indirectly,” with a
specified witness.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Wheat and his team from San Diego “established
probable cause” that Mitsunaga obstructed justice and tampered with a witness.

Cousins rejected attempts by Mitsunaga’s defense team to toughen his release
requirements and “found these enhanced restrictions to be insufficient.”

“Mitsunaga’s recent actions show cunning, audacity, planning, and desperation.
He is unlikely to abide by any combination of conditions of release,” wrote
Cousins on Monday.

Mitsunaga, the founder of local engineering and architectural firm Mitsunaga &
Associates Inc., is on trial for allegedly bribing former city Prosecutor Keith
Kaneshiro with campaign contributions in exchange for prosecuting a former MAI
employee.

Kaneshiro is also on trial in the corruption case.

The U.S. Department of Justice “learned of multiple violations of the Protective
Order, including wrongful dissemination of Grand Jury material to a third party
and a witness in this case,” according to the documents.

“Of significant concern to the truth-seeking function in this trial, in one
instance described below, grand jury material — an underlined grand jury
transcript — was delivered to an upcoming witness by an MAI employee during a
meeting designed to convince the witness to change his testimony at trial,”
according to an emergency motion for enforcement of the protective order filed
April 14 by Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin M. McDonald.

McDonald wrote that the prosecution spoke to defense attorneys and reminded them
of the protective order, especially as it pertained to grand jury transcripts.
The government believed that was addressed without the need for court
intervention.

“However, on April 6, 2024, the United States again learned that Grand Jury
material had been disseminated by the defense to another witness, Rudy Alivado,”
wrote McDonald.

After the trial started, an employee from MAI asked to meet with Alivado. During
that meeting, the MAI employee gave Alivado a copy of his grand jury testimony
from July 2021.

“Alivado’s grand jury transcript had been underlined in places to draw his
attention to specific aspects of his prior testimony. Ultimately, the purpose of
the meeting was to confront Alivado with his grand jury testimony and persuade
him to change what he previously said before the grand jury when called as a
witness in this case,” wrote McDonald.

“Indeed, Alivado believed this was precisely the purpose of that meeting; there
was no other interpretation of what had transpired.”

Mitsunaga’s attorney, Nina Marino, objected to the government’s assertions.

She noted in a heavily redacted filing Sunday about why his bail should not be
revoked that Mitsunaga has known Alivado since high school, has several business
interests with him, “and they are friends.”

“In nearly two years, Mr. Mitsunaga has not had a single violation until now,
Marino wrote. “On October 24, 2022 the conditions of release were modified to
include a no contact order from 28 people, many of whom Mr. Mitsunaga had known
for decades. One of those people was Rudy Alivado.”

Marino tried to get Mitsunaga house arrest, with a court-approved guardian paid
for by Mitsunaga, noting his poor health, advanced age and decades of community
service.

Marino suggested that Mitsunaga and his wife use “real property with equity of
approximately $1.2 million that can be utilized to secure the bond.”

The house arrest with electronic monitoring Marino suggested would limit
Mitsunaga’s movements “to his home, meetings with his attorneys, court and
necessary medical appointments.”

The no contact order would be toughened and “further limited to only his
attorneys, his wife, his daughter and grandchildren,” Marino wrote. Mitsunaga
also would not be able to call anyone but his attorneys, wife and daughter.

Cousins rejected the suggested terms.

He conducted a “review of U.S. Pretrial Services’ Report, other documents on
file, and arguments of counsel,” and revoked Mitsunaga’s bail for the remainder
of the trial.

Mitsunaga will be kept “separate, to the extent practicable, from persons
awaiting or serving sentences or being held in custody pending appeal” at the
Federal Detention Center, Honolulu, Cousins wrote.

Defense attorneys moved to exclude evidence of Mitsu­naga’s witness tampering
saying it would be “inflammatory” and create unfair prejudice toward them,
according to a response by McDonald filed Monday.

The motion to exclude evidence of Mitsunaga’s alleged tampering was not
available Monday on the Public Access To Court Electronic Records website.

“Dennis Mitsunaga’s attempt to alter or silence upcoming witness testimony is
powerful evidence proving the existence of the underlying conspiracy and
Mitsunaga’s consciousness of guilt of that conspiracy,” wrote McDonald.



Click here and log in to view this story





Start Free AccountGet access to 7 premium stories every month for FREE!
Already a Subscriber?Current print subscriber? Activate your complimentary
Digital account.
Subscribe NowChoose a package that suits your preferences.







PREVIOUS STORY
City touts ‘sustainable’ projects near Skyline


Share this story







0 Comments
Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Name *

Email *

By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have agreed to
the TERMS OF SERVICE. An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is
encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal
attacks. If your comments are inappropriate, you may be banned from posting. To
report comments that you believe do not follow our guidelines, send us an email.



For security purposes, check this box before commenting







--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Get the latest news by e-mail
Sign Up

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Most Popular
 * 1
   Obituaries for Thursday, April 25, 2024
 * 2
   Gov. Green pledges to sign rentals legislation
 * 3
   Hawaiian Airlines posts loss of $137.6M in Q1
 * 4
   Mitsunaga ordered to remain in jail for duration of trial
 * 5
   Maui mayor seeks more money to cover wildfire costs



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Upcoming Events

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 * Tue, Apr 30 @10:30am   Sponsored
   Children's Storytime
   Lihue Public Library
   
   Lihue, HI mi
 * Fri, May 03 @7:00pm   Sponsored
   Kauaʻi Community College Wind Symphony & Kauaʻi Youth Honor Band Concert
   Kauaʻi Community College Performing Arts Center
   
   Lihue, HI mi
 * Sun, May 12 @4:00pm   Sponsored
   Kauaʻi Community College Symphony Orchestra 2024 Spring Concert
   Kauaʻi Community College Performing Arts Center
   
   Lihue, HI mi
 * Tue, Apr 30 @10:30am   Sponsored
   Children's Storytime
   Lihue Public Library
   
   Lihue, HI mi
 * Fri, May 03 @7:00pm   Sponsored
   Kauaʻi Community College Wind Symphony & Kauaʻi Youth Honor Band Concert
   Kauaʻi Community College Performing Arts Center
   
   Lihue, HI mi
 * Sun, May 12 @4:00pm   Sponsored
   Kauaʻi Community College Symphony Orchestra 2024 Spring Concert
   Kauaʻi Community College Performing Arts Center
   
   Lihue, HI mi
 * Tue, Apr 30 @10:30am   Sponsored
   Children's Storytime
   Lihue Public Library
   
   Lihue, HI mi
 * Fri, May 03 @7:00pm   Sponsored
   Kauaʻi Community College Wind Symphony & Kauaʻi Youth Honor Band Concert
   Kauaʻi Community College Performing Arts Center
   
   Lihue, HI mi
 * Sun, May 12 @4:00pm   Sponsored
   Kauaʻi Community College Symphony Orchestra 2024 Spring Concert
   Kauaʻi Community College Performing Arts Center
   
   Lihue, HI mi

Arrow LeftArrow Right
Item 1 of 3
Thu, Apr 25 @5:30pm
Live Music at Nanea Restaurant
Nanea Restaurant at the Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas
Thu, Apr 25 @8:00am
Lihue Business Association
Duke's Restaurant, Royal Sonesta Hotel, Lihue, Kauai, Hi.
Tue, Apr 30 @10:30am
Children's Storytime
Lihue Public Library
Wed, May 01 @6:00pm
Kauai Sea Scouts
All Saints Church Kapaa
Thu, May 02 @10:00am
The 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer's
Kekaha Neighborhood Center
Fri, May 03 @7:00pm
Kauaʻi Community College Wind Symphony & Kauaʻi Youth Honor Band Concert
Kauaʻi Community College Performing Arts Center
Sat, May 04 @9:00am
Free Comic Book Day
Princeville Public Library
Sat, May 11 @4:00pm
Downtown Lihue 2nd Saturday Night Market
Alakoko Shop
Sat, May 11 @4:00pm
2nd Saturday Downtown Lihue Night Market
Alakoko Shop
Sun, May 12 @4:00pm
Kauaʻi Community College Symphony Orchestra 2024 Spring Concert
Kauaʻi Community College Performing Arts Center
Wed, May 15 @5:00pm
Compassionate Communication and Alzheimer's
Lihue Public Library
See All Events
Add Your Event


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Copyright © 2024 TheGardenIsland.com. All rights reserved.
3137 Kuhio Hwy., Lihue, HI 96766 Telephone: (808) 245-3681

AboutPrint ReplicaAdvertiseContact UsTerms of ServicePrivacy Policy