Newswatch

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Tuesday, January 5, 1999

Youth might have survived
if he had used seat belt

WAILUKU -- Maui police say 16-year-old Kyle "Kamu" Kahui might have survived a car crash in Wailea on Friday if he had been wearing seat belts.

"If you look at it statistically, the chances of surviving a crash is better if you're belted," police Lt. Charles Hirata said. "A seat belt probably would have made a big difference."

Hirata also two other Wailuku youths in the crash probably would have received lesser injuries if they had worn seat belts.

None of four youths in the crash was wearing a seat belt when the car they were riding in skidded and struck a curb on Okolani Drive, spinning in the air and ejecting three youths.

Jarett Tanaka, 17, pinned in the back seat of the vehicle, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Hirata said Kahui and two other 16-year-old boys were ejected. One 16-year-old was treated and released, while the other, the driver of the vehicle, was between guarded and satisfactory condition at Maui Memorial Hospital today.

Attorney Breiner slams 6-month suspension

The Hawaii Supreme Court has suspended Honolulu attorney Myles Breiner from practicing law for six months, in an opinion that described his behavior during a murder trial as "stubborn, argumentative, sarcastic and disrespectful."

Breiner said today that the six-month suspension is "a steep price to pay for defending someone you think is innocent."

The suspension, which begins Feb. 3, stemmed from the 1995 murder trial of Raita Fukusaku, who was represented by Breiner and Gary Modafferi.

Fukusaku was convicted of the 1994 murders of Japanese psychic Toako Kototome Fujita and her son Goro.

Breiner clashed with presiding Circuit Judge Gail Nakatani; after the trial, he unsuccessfully tried to have Nakatani removed from hearing his criminal cases.

Carole Richelieu, chief disciplinary counsel for the Office of Disciplinary Counsel, said the Supreme Court took into consideration two previous disciplinary actions against Breiner: One case in 1991 involved Breiner falsely claiming unemployment benefits while he was working.

Another case involved unprofessional behavior that resulted in an informal admonition and a recommendation that he seek professional help to control his behavior.

Public invited to review proposed court rules

The Hawaii Supreme Court is seeking comments on proposed amendments to the Hawaii Rules of Appellate Procedure and the Hawaii Family Court Rules.

The proposed amendments are available for review at the Supreme Court Law Library, Circuit Court law libraries on the neighbor islands, and on the judiciary home page at www.state.hi.us/jud.

Comments should be submitted in writing no later than March 1 to Public Affairs Office, 417 S. King St., Honolulu, 96813.

Windward Rotarians seek good Samaritan

The Rotary Club of Windward Oahu and the Windward Rotary Endowment Fund are seeking nominations for the "Service Above Self" Award in the Windward community.

Nominees must live, work or volunteer on the Windward side. They must exemplify the Rotary International motto: Helping the community above and beyond themselves.

The deadline to submit nominations to the Rotary Club of Windward Oahu is Feb. 1.

To nominate someone, write a one-page letter about the person's contributions to the Windward community. Mail to: Windward Rotary P.O. Box 122, Kailua 96734.

Disabled artists' show goes 'beyond the limit'

The public is invited to a Jan. 15 reception for 21 artists who are patients at the Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific.

The 2-4 p.m. reception will be at Kapiolani Community College's library gallery, which will showcase the art from Jan. 9 to Feb. 3.

Titled "Go Beyond the Limit '99," the exhibit displays how the patients have overcome their physical challenges including speech impairment or paralysis.

The program provides a creative outlet for patients and has raised more than $4,000 for the program, funded by the Louis Vuitton Golf Cup Tournament.

For more information, call 531-3511.

Volunteers will educate about mental illness

NAMI OAHU, Oahu's Voice on Mental Illness, will begin neighborhood education and support group meetings.

The concept is to bring help into communities for people affected by serious mental illness such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder (manic depression) and major depression.

For more information, call NAMI OAHU at 591-1297.

CORRECTION Merle S. Sprague of Tripler Army Medical Center is a woman. She was misidentified in a Saturday item about the hospital's new cancer-fighting linear accelerator device.

See expanded coverage in today's Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
See our [Search] [Info] section for subscription information.

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Police, Fire



By Star-Bulletin staff

POLICE

Homemade bomb found in Roberts tour bus

Police yesterday recovered a homemade bomb found inside a Roberts Hawaii tour bus.

At 6 a.m. yesterday, an employee discovered a parked bus with a shattered window at the company's facility at 91-230 Old Fort Weaver Road in Ewa Beach, police said.

A live homemade bomb was found inside the bus.

Police have no suspects.

In other news...

An 18-year-old Aiea man was arrested yesterday for allegedly beating, threatening and robbing his 16-year-old former girlfriend.

He was booked for first-degree terroristic threatening, third-degree assault and second-degree robbery.

The Schofield Barracks soldier killed in Sunday's motorcycle accident in Waianae has been identified by the medical examiner's office as 32-year-old Scott Johnson.

In an unrelated accident, the 16-year-old boy hit by a car in Kalihi on Sunday has been upgraded to fair condition.

See expanded coverage in today's Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
See our [Search] [Info] section for subscription information.