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Mirikitani Jury selection in the federal kickback case against Councilman Andy Mirikitani and girlfriend Sharron Bynum is scheduled to begin March 6.
pleads not guilty
to kickbacks
The councilman and his
girlfriend are out on bond and
cannot leave the stateBy Gordon Y.K. Pang
Star-BulletinMirikitani, 45, pleaded not guilty yesterday to felony charges of wire fraud, theft, bribery, extortion and witness tampering. Bynum, 52, pleaded not guilty to theft, bribery and extortion counts.
The charges center on allegations that Mirikitani gave two aides $26,600 in bonuses from his Council salary account last July but had the staffers give about half of the bonuses back to him.
Following yesterday's arraignment, Mirikitani and Bynum were arrested and released on $10,000 signature bonds. They are barred from leaving the state before trial. Bynum surrendered her passport. Mirikitani, who told the court he had lost his, was told by U.S. Magistrate Barry Kurren not to get a new one.
Mirikitani said in a written statement: "I am innocent. I believe in democracy, I believe in our system of justice, and my name will be cleared because I am innocent."
Mirikitani, when indicted earlier this month, said he would continue serving on the City Council while he fights the charges.
Jury selection in the case would have proceeded in January, but William Harrison, Mirikitani's attorney until Thursday, pulled out because of a conflict. Harrison represents potential witness Wayne Weightman, a former Mirikitani aide and the son of the councilman's late girlfriend, Judy Weightman.
As a result, Kurren granted Mirikitani's request to postpone the trial.
Mirikitani was represented yesterday by attorney James Pallett. But Pallett told Kurren that Mirikitani may have a federal public defender represent him.
Pallett said Mirikitani "is a public servant and not much a capitalist" but has "qualms" about using taxpayer money for his defense. Mirikitani is an attorney but not in active practice.
As a Council member, he makes $42,500 annually.
Deputy U.S. Attorney Michael Seabright shot back, "I don't necessarily agree that Mr. Mirikitani isn't a capitalist, given the nature of the charges here."
Bynum is being represented by federal assistant public defender Willie Domingo.
Bynum makes $45,000 a year as a contractually hired property manager in the Department of Facility Maintenance. Bynum was still on the job yesterday, according to city officials.
Mirikitani was first elected to the Council in 1990 and represents District 5, which includes the Makiki, Manoa, McCully-Moiliili and Ala Moana areas.
Mirikitani is accused of giving former aide Cindy McMillan $16,916.72 in city funds. McMillan and her husband then gave $4,250 to the Friends of Andy Mirikitani campaign fund. Mirikitani deposited the check from McMillan into the campaign account and then withdrew $4,000, court documents said.
The indictment also said Mirikitani attempted to influence McMillan's testimony to the grand jury.
Mirikitani also gave former aide Jonn Serikawa $9,616.73 in city funds and then received back on separate occasions $1,434 and $1,000 in cash, the indictment said.
Court documents also charge that Serikawa paid $200 to a third party on Mirikitani's behalf.
If found guilty on all six counts against him, Mirikitani could be sentenced to as much as 65 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1.5 million.
City & County of Honolulu
