CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM Attorney Paul Cunney with his client Lisa-Katherine Otsuka.

Lawyer for Harris witness
claims ‘witch hunt’

Prosecutors question the former Miss Maui
about her finances, but she refuses to answer

---

By Rick Daysog
rdaysog@starbulletin.com

An attorney for a former Maui beauty queen called as a witness in a grand jury investigation into Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris' campaign said that city prosecutors appear to be on a "witch hunt" against his client.

Paul Cunney, a lawyer for Lisa-Katherine Otsuka, said his client will continue to invoke her constitutional right against self-incrimination until she is granted immunity from prosecution.

Otsuka, 32, appeared before an Oahu grand jury yesterday but declined to answer questions by prosecutors. The grand jury is expected to meet again on Oct. 31.

"I think they're barking up the wrong tree. I don't know how long this investigation has been going on, but I would think (the Honolulu Police Department) would have better things to go after," Cunney said. "She claims she's innocent, and we think the state is trying to leverage her to get some evidence that she doesn't have knowledge of. I think they're going after the wrong person."

During yesterday's grand jury session, prosecutors questioned Otsuka about her bank account and her business relationship with Harry Mattson, a former spokesman for the Harris campaign and a longtime supporter of former Gov. John Waihee.

Prosecutors also asked Otsuka to provide a handwriting sample but did not ask her questions about Harris, Cunney said.

"This seems to be some type of witch hunt," Cunney said. "It's funny that it's been continued to Oct. 31."

People familiar with the case told the Star-Bulletin that prosecutors are looking at more than $75,000 in payments to Otsuka from Campaign Service Inc., a local polling and public relations firm headed by Mattson and Norma Wong, a longtime aide to Waihee.

The prosecutor's office had no comment. Harris campaign officials have denied wrongdoing, and Harris has said he has no knowledge of Otsuka.

"She has no known connection to the campaign, and the campaign has never paid her a penny," said William McCorriston, Harris' attorney. "The only conclusion one could draw is that someone has tarnished the campaign with innuendo."

Otsuka was subpoenaed to appear before the grand jury last month but declined to show up. She was arrested Sept. 9 for contempt of court.

An Oahu grand jury also indicted Otsuka last month for allegedly stealing $3,000 from a Wahiawa nonprofit. That indictment came after the former Miss Maui was arrested at a Waikiki hotel on Aug. 15 on suspicion of promoting prostitution.

Otsuka has pleaded not guilty to the theft charge.

Cunney said that during the August arrest, police officers entered Otsuka's hotel room under the guise that they were conducting a drug bust. He said that police officers then seized her computer and have not returned it.

Cunney also complained that HPD officers arrested Otsuka's mother, Patricia Kushi, several weeks ago at her workplace at the Hawaii State Library for a traffic warrant.

Otsuka said officers handcuffed her mother and questioned her in a police cellblock.

"There weren't any questions about the traffic violations. They were about me. They were all about me," said Otsuka. "I'm just horrified. My mother is sweet and kind and would never have an experience like that. ... I feel very badly that this happened to my mom."