Posted at 12 p.m., Wednesday, June 13, 2001
Prosecutor outlines Mirikitani charges
By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser City Hall Writer
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| City Councilman Andy Mirikitani, left, and attorney John Edmunds enter the federal court building.
Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser |
The federal trial against Honolulu City Councilman Andy Mirikitani got under way today, with an assistant U.S. attorney calling it a case of debt, greed and deception.
Mirikitani faces federal felony charges that include theft, bribery and extortion.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Seabright said in his opening statement today that Mirikitani in 1999 was facing legal bills from a separate civil matter. Seabright said those bills rose from $17,000 to more than $110,000 over a few months.
Seabright said that Mirikitani then proposed to two of his employees that he give them salaried bonuses in exchange for them kicking back money to his campaign.
Mirikitani has denied the allegations and said he's confident he'll be vindicated.
Federal Judge Helen Gillmor is presiding over the case, which is expected to last two to three weeks. Mirikitani's defense attorney, John Edmunds, was expected to present his opening statement later.
Mirikitani stands accused of paying bonuses of nearly $26,600 to two former employees in exchange for their kicking back $6,884 — after taxes — to him and to his campaign.
He and his girlfriend, Sharron Bynum, were indicted by a federal grand jury in November. The charges against Mirikitani include wire fraud, theft, bribery and extortion; Bynum was named as an "aider and abettor" in the alleged theft, extortion and bribery.
Deputy public defender William Domingo is representing Bynum.
Bynum, 52, also a city employee, works as a property manager in the Department of Facility Maintenance.
Mirikitani represents the Manoa, Makiki, McCully, Tantalus, Pawa'a and Kewalo communities. First elected in 1990 as a Democrat, he was re-elected in 1994 and 1998 after council races became nonpartisan.
He is best known for his public crusade against strip clubs, hostess bars, X-rated video stores and, most recently, violent video games.
