IN COURT

Menacing tale told
at murder trial

Prosecutor says Maui man
was going to kill a witness

By Gary T. Kubota
Maui correspondent

WAILUKU -- Accused double-murderer Daniel Kosi planned to use a chain saw on a female witness but she escaped from a car trunk in a condominium parking lot, Deputy Prosecutor Robert Rivera said.

Rivera said Kosi bound and gagged Abra Pearsall and put her in the trunk at the Maui Banyans condominium Aug. 14, 1997, but she escaped with the help of tourists.

Kosi, 25, is on trial in Maui Circuit Court, accused of the gunshot slaying of Maui kickboxer Eric Vinge near his Paukukalo home on Aug. 3, 1997, and the stabbing death of hostage Aisha Tolentino about 12 days later.

He also is charged with kidnapping Pearsall, who allegedly witnessed the killing of Vinge.

Rivera said during the police standoff at the condominium, Kosi stabbed the 17-year-old Tolentino 16 times and at one point said he was having "a hard time cutting off her head."

Kosi later rolled Tolentino's lifeless body into the condominium hallway, prompting police to rush into the unit, Rivera said.

Expected to testify on behalf of the prosecution are two of Kosi's former friends, Jennifer Kong and Anthony Carvalho.

Kosi has refused to appear in Maui Circuit Court since the start of jury selection last week. The court turned down Kosi's request to have Joseph Mottl III removed as his attorney and determined that Kosi is fit to stand trial.

During opening arguments yesterday, Mottl described witnesses testifying against Kosi as belonging to the Maui drug underworld and raised questions about their reliability.

He said Kosi was a friend of Vinge and Tolentino and that Kosi had no motive for harming them.

The trial continues today before Maui Circuit Judge Shackley Raffetto.