A friend of Peter Avillanoza, who died in the Oklahoma City federal building bombing two years ago, hailed yesterday's verdict convicting Timothy McVeigh of all 11 counts of murder and conspiracy. Isle victim's friend
hails guilty verdictCarolyn Vierra, who used to work in the same field as Avillanoza, said she was "pleased and satisfied with the verdict."
"I have a lot of fond memories of Peter," she said.
Avillanoza, 57, was born in Honolulu and graduated from Kaimuki High School in 1956. He served with the 101st Airborne in Korea.
He worked for the Department of Housing and Urban Development and had been transferred to California before ending up in Oklahoma City two years ago as its director of HUD's Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Division.
Vierra said she knew Avillanoza for four or five years, describing him as "a go-getter."
"Our paths crossed in training sessions and cases we worked on," Vierra said.
"When the bombing occurred, I pictured him getting a cup of coffee, preparing for the day, wondering what cases he was going to work on that day."
Accused killer John Joseph Griffiths can mark June 2 as an eventful day: A judge ended Griffiths' upcoming murder trial and a daughter was born to him. State says it might
reindict GriffithsCircuit Judge Wilfred Watanabe yesterday granted a defense motion to dismiss the second-degree murder indictment brought against Griffiths in 1993.
He cited several problems, including evidence the state allegedly withheld, negotiations for a plea agreement for the state's key witness and alleged extortion involving the key witness.
Watanabe also said the state could reindict Griffiths for the Aug. 2, 1989, shooting death of Eric Kamanu, a runner-up in the 1986 Mr. Hawaiian Islands bodybuilding competition. But he also warned about the same outcome.
"Depending on what turns up, dismissal might be in order," Watanabe said.
Deputy Prosecutor Darrell Wong said the state would review the case and probably reindict Griffiths.
He said the state attorney general's office investigated the alleged extortion and found no impropriety. He also said the office reevaluated the case at a later date, reaching the same conclusion.
The allegation involved a second accused killer, Michael Hee, who in 1995 pleaded guilty to manslaughter in Kamanu's death.
Hee allegedly wanted his attorney to tell one of three codefendants charged with conspiracy to pay his attorney's fees or he would testify against him.
In his plea agreement, Hee did agree to testify against Griffiths.
Myles Breiner, Hee's attorney, said there were no attempts to extort money or obtain influence of any sort.
Hula teacher Howell "Chinky" Mahoe Jr. is scheduled to go on trial Sept. 22 on charges that he sexually assaulted four former male dancers in his hula halau. September trial set
for hula teacher MahoeMahoe, 42, pleaded not guilty to the charges yesterday.
He was allowed to remain free on $25,250 bail until his trial.
The leader of Halau Hula 'O Kawaili'ula that has won honors at the Merrie Monarch Hula Festival is accused of fondling four boys ages 9 to 14 between 1994 and 1996.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving hasn't given up yet: It will be back at the Legislature next year to try to get passengers banned from the beds of pickup trucks. Five new driving laws
make MADD 'very happy'Lorraine Brealey, the group's public policy chairwoman, noted the attempt for a broader ban after Gov. Ben Cayetano signed into law a bill prohibiting children from riding in pickup truck beds.
The bill, which becomes Act 105, will prohibit children 12 years and under from riding in cargo beds. It is a compromise from a more comprehensive ban, which was opposed by lawmakers representing rural areas. The law takes effect Jan. 1.
Cayetano also signed four other driving-related measures into law yesterday.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving said it was "very positive and very happy" the bills were signed.
The other measures signed will:
Require emergency-room medical personnel to release blood-alcohol information to police to establish probable cause when a patient has been in an accident. Up to now, the information was confidential.
Rebuffing a suggestion by Big Island Mayor Stephen Yamashiro, Gov. Ben Cayetano says the state will not take over the county's landfill at Puuanahulu. Cayetano: State won't
take Big Island landfill"I'm looking to reduce the size of state government -- not to expand it," Cayetano said yesterday. "Therefore, it is highly unlikely that the state will assume or take over any landfill operation. Instead the county should come to grips with this problem and deal with it."
The state Supreme Court, in response to a lawsuit by the blue-collar United Public Workers union, has ruled that the Big Island can't privatize the operation at the West Hawaii landfill, which is on state land.
That decision, Yamashiro and his fellow neighbor island mayors have asserted, casts doubt on all of their contracts that allow businesses and nonprofit agencies to perform public services.
See expanded coverage in today's Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
See our [Info] section for subscription information.
Police/Fire
By Star-Bulletin staffKAILUA-KONA -- A 50-year-old woman was killed yesterday when her sedan hit a pickup truck near the 70-mile marker on Queen Kaahumanu Highway in Hapuna. Kona woman dies
in Hapuna collisionLouise Buser, 50, was traveling northbound at 1:36 p.m. yesterday when her 1993 Eagle Summit sedan ran off the road on the right side, came back onto the highway, crossed the centerline and struck a 1991 Mazda pickup truck going in the opposite direction, police said.
Buser, of Kailua-Kona, was taken to North Hawaii Community Hospital in Kamuela. She was pronounced dead at 4:40 p.m.
The 24-year-old driver of the pickup truck and her 3-year-old daughter were taken to North Hawaii Community Hospital, where they were treated and released. This was the Big Island's 17th traffic-related death of the year, as compared with 12 at the same time last year.
Police have arrested a Makiki man in the death of his brother in a fall from a second-floor balcony. 25-year-old arrested
in brother's fatal fallTregor Jajo, 25, was released pending further investigation. He faces a possible second-
degree murder charge for the death of Johnsey Jajo, 26. Tregor Jajo was arrested after his discharge from Queen's Hospital yesterday.
Tregor Jajo allegedly charged at his brother and sister-in-law Pauline McShane, 28, and the impact broke the balcony's hollow tile railing. All three fell to the ground 20 feet below.
McShane is still hospitalized with multiple fractures from the 2:30 a.m. incident Sunday at 1455 Lusitana St.
Other Police/Fire headlines
in today’s Star-Bulletin:
- 19-year-old accused of shotgun threat
- Man out on bail raped woman, she charges
See expanded coverage in today's Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
See our [Info] section for subscription information.
