Chinese witness remains
in solitary confinement

Prosecutors will not say if he is a
suspected accomplice to murder

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By Leila Fujimori
lfujimori@starbulletin.com

One of 30 Chinese crewmen being held as witnesses in the murder of their ship's captain and first mate remained in solitary confinement yesterday at the federal detention center.

At a detention hearing in U.S. District Court, Wang Fu Xiang raised his hand yesterday when Judge David Ezra asked 14 crewmen if anyone was being mistreated.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Brady said that during witness interviews Thursday, some of the crewmen said they feared Wang and that he assisted the man accused of the murders.

Wang stood up and told the judge he poses no threat to the others. "Mr. Brady has no proof at all," he said through an interpreter.

Shi Lei, 21, the ship's cook, has been charged and indicted in the murders and seizure of the Taiwanese fishing vessel, the Full Means No. 2. The alleged murders and ship seizure occurred between March 14-16.

Wang's court-appointed attorney, Guy Matsunaga, told the judge that his client was Shi's close friend but that none of the other 13 crewmen in court yesterday appeared to fear him.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Enoki would not comment on whether any individuals were being investigated as possible suspects or accomplices.

"We don't make public statements in any case about who we're investigating or who we're not investigating," he said.

Sixteen of the detained crewmen have been called by the prosecution as material witnesses. The crewmen will be held until their videotaped depositions are taken, which will be used in lieu of their presence at trial.

Ezra granted the request of Shi's attorney, Assistant Federal Public Defender Pamela Byrne, to detain the other 14 crewmen as possible defense witnesses yesterday.

The ship's owner has brought in a Japanese crew to man the Full Means No. 2 and to resume fishing, said Anne Stevens, the ship's agent in Honolulu. Stevens said the owner will make good on the detained men's pay.

However, she is not sure about the company paying for their air fare home. "The owner's feeling is, the U.S. government took them off; it's their responsibility if they're freed."