Posted on: Friday, May 25, 2001

Hearing on Kaka'ako hostess bar postponed until July

By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

The Honolulu Liquor Commission yesterday reluctantly postponed a hearing on charges against a Kaka'ako hostess bar that is accused of numerous violations of state liquor laws.

Attorney William Harrison told the commission that he was retained by the owners of Club Yokohama less than two weeks ago and he did not have time to prepare for the case. Harrison asked the commission for a two-month delay.

But commission chairman John Spierling noted that the alleged violations dated back to September and that Club Yokohama was issued a notice of violation on March 23. Spierling said the owners had sufficient time to retain legal representation.

Harrison said that he didn't know why the owners took so long to hire an attorney. But he said the prosecution has had ample time to prepare for the case and the owners' attorney should be given as much time.

"If I'm going to do my job properly, I need to do the investigation prior to the beginning of the adjudication. To do it otherwise, I'd be committing malpractice," Harrison told the panel. "I have no witnesses here. I haven't even had the opportunity to interview witnesses."

Harrison threatened to take the Liquor Commission to court if it proceeded with the hearing.

Club Yokohama faces 27 counts of violating state liquor laws and could lose its liquor license if found guilty. The charges grew out of a police undercover investigation into alleged prostitution.

The charges range from minor violations to more serious allegations of customers and employees being fondled.

Commissioners Orlando Soriano and Avis Jervis favored continuing the hearing to July, while Spierling and Chu Lan Kwock opposed the delay. After much discussion, Spierling changed his mind, giving Harrison the three votes required.

"I really don't feel good about this, but I'm going to recommend that we postpone this for two months," Spierling said. He did not explain why he reversed his position.

Harrison said he was relieved with the postponement, but he said he's worried that his clients may not get a fair hearing.

"There's always a fear that they have been poisoned one way or the other by what they perceive," Harrison said. "We're going in there hoping that they're going to be fair."