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Honolulu attorney suspended over ethics

A well-known Honolulu attorney has been suspended from practicing law in Hawaii for five years after violating several ethics rules, the Hawaii Supreme Court has ruled.

Ronald G.S. Au's suspension takes effect July 7.

According to the court, Au violated rules mandating competent representation and prohibiting attorneys from knowingly making false statements by misrepresenting a published court opinion to a Circuit Court judge.

The 68-year-old also mishandled funds, the court ruled, by depositing his clients' settlement proceeds into his office account rather than a client trust account; paying for litigation costs with his client trust account; and depositing unearned fees into his office account.

Au also falsely certified on his mandatory attorney registration statement that he had complied with client trust account requirements, and improperly paid fees to a non-attorney "runner" in exchange for client referrals, the court said.

Finally, Au deposited a client's payment for legal fees into his personal business account before earning them.

Au will not be able to practice law in Hawaii until he is reinstated by the Hawaii Supreme Court. He cannot accept any retainers, clients or legal matters and must return all unearned retainers and files to his clients by July 7.

Au was admitted to the Hawaii bar in 1963 and is a graduate of the Hastings College of Law.

Felons now required to give DNA samples

Any adult convicted of, or pleading guilty or no contest to, a felony offense is required to provide DNA samples under a new law passed unanimously by the state Legislature and signed by acting Gov. James Aiona.

The new law requires the retention of evidence that can be used for DNA analysis, and extends the statute of limitations to include all felony cases. Previously, only convicted murderers and sex offenders were required to undergo DNA testing.

Moreover, a person who has been convicted of a crime can request DNA analysis of evidence to reverse the conviction, and ask for the deletion of DNA profiles if their underlying conviction is reversed.

DNA analysis traditionally has been used as additional evidence to link an already identified suspect to a crime. Now, DNA technology can also be used to establish innocence and solve crimes that would be difficult or impossible to solve by other means, as criminals often do not leave fingerprints but do leave DNA on trace evidence.

According to the FBI's Web site, as of April 2005, Hawaii had 1,837 offenders profiled and 32 forensic samples logged in the Combined DNA Index System, which works much like the Automated Fingerprint Identification System.

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

HONOLULU
Husband, 50, charged after saying he killed his wife

A 50-year-old Kapahulu man was charged last night with second-degree murder after telling police early Saturday that he had killed his wife.

Danny Tan Lam remained in police custody last night in lieu of $500,000 bail. Lam's wife, 41-year-old Melody, was found dead Saturday in the couple's home at 3028 Kaunaoa St.

The Honolulu Medical Examiner's office said yesterday that Lam died from an "assaultive blunt force injury to the head."

Danny Lam was arrested shortly after calling 911 from his home about 5:52 a.m. Saturday.

He told a police dispatcher that he had killed his wife, police said.

The couple were both real estate agents, employed at Dower Realty in Kaimuki. They had lived in the neighborhood -- near the Honolulu Zoo and the Waikiki Shell -- for 10 years.

Neighbors said the two had marital problems, and Danny Lam had been worried about his wife's talk of getting a divorce. The couple's two children are staying with family members.

Woman charged in husband's stabbing

A 48-year-old homeless woman was charged yesterday with first-degree assault after allegedly stabbing her husband twice Friday at Ala Moana Beach Park, police said.

Lori Johnson-Sabate is being held in lieu of $50,000 bail.

Police said Johnson-Sabate and her husband were arguing about 9:10 a.m. Friday and got into a fight. The woman left the scene, went to their vehicle and returned with a knife, police said.

Johnson-Sabate allegedly confronted her husband and stabbed him once in the right abdomen and once above his stomach. He was taken in critical condition to the Queen's Medical Center.

LEEWARD OAHU
Makaha fire believed to be intentionally set

A brush fire in Makaha burned about six acres yesterday and started just 200 feet away from one that damaged a firetruck Saturday and which fire officials believe was intentionally set.

"We suspect that this fire again is suspicious in nature ... and this is not something to be taken lightly," said Fire Department spokesman Capt. Emmit Kane.

As of Friday there were more than 290 brush fires reported on Oahu this year, compared with 123 at the same time in 2004. Most of the fires, Kane said, are suspicious.

Yesterday's brush fire started about 12:15 p.m. about 200 yards mauka of Makaha Elementary School. About 45 firefighters helped get it under control within two hours.

On Saturday a Honolulu fire engine was badly scorched as firefighters fought a 50-acre brush fire at the end of Water Street.

The fire started a little after 9 a.m. and was under control by 3 p.m. Kane said he is not sure how long it will take for the fire engine to be brought back into service.