AYUMI NAKANISHI / ANAKANISHI@STARBULLETIN.COM Tiffany Irvin, left, and Tammy Cocard showed relief yesterday after a jury found their stepfather, Kenneth Wakisaka, guilty in the death of their mother, Shirlene Wakisaka.

Wakisaka convicted
of murder

2 sisters are pleased that a jury
rejected defense suicide claims

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By Debra Barayuga
dbarayuga@starbulletin.com

For sisters Tammy Cocard and Tiffany Irvin, justice delayed is not justice denied.

A Circuit Court jury found their 46-year-old stepfather, Kenneth Wakisaka, guilty as charged yesterday in the death of their mother two years ago.

"We believed in the truth, we believed in justice," Irvin said after the verdict was announced. "Mother would be so happy," Cocard added.

About a year before her death, they had learned their stepfather had been abusing their mother. "She let us know she was afraid for her life and, if anything happened to her, to please investigate," Irvin said.

It was in part because of information they had gathered that the case was later presented to a grand jury and Wakisaka was indicted for second-degree murder.

He faces a mandatory life term with the possibility of parole when sentenced before Circuit Judge Marie Milks on Sept. 3.

His attorney, Mal Gillin, could not be reached for comment.

During the two-week trial, medical examiners had testified that their autopsy and investigation showed Shirlene Wakisaka died of a strangulation.

Her death initially was classified as a possible drug overdose after her husband called 911 on April 5, 2000, to say she had collapsed.

It was the second time that day that ambulance crews were called to the Wakisakas' Ko Olina home. The first time was early that morning after Cocard called 911 from her California home requesting medical personnel check on her mother. Her mother had left numerous disturbing messages on Cocard's answering machine the day before.

When she managed to get through to her mother early April 5, her mother made her promise to investigate if something happened to her, Cocard said.

Kenneth Wakisaka told ambulance personnel when they first arrived that his wife apparently had taken numerous pills and possibly alcohol. They left after examining her, and Wakisaka signed a waiver indicating she did not need to be taken to a hospital.

At trial the defense contended that Shirlene Wakisaka died as a result of suicide brought on by her battle with alcoholism and various mental illnesses and that her husband tried his best that day to save her.

But Deputy Prosecutor Dan Oyasato argued Kenneth Wakisaka's words and actions showed otherwise.

For example, during a phone call with Cocard two days after his wife entered the hospital, Wakisaka made unsolicited statements indicating he had not choked their mother and that there were no choke marks around her neck.

Also, even before a cause of death was established, the first thing Wakisaka asked a medical investigator just hours after his wife was pronounced dead was whether an autopsy could reveal whether she had been strangled, Oyasato said.

Evidence of bruising around her neck indicated that something had been placed round her neck and pressure was exerted, Oyasato said.