Posted on: Friday, April 12, 2002

Court suspends Yoshimura for lies

Advertiser Staff

The state Supreme Court has ordered City Councilman Jon Yoshimura suspended from practicing law for six months as a penalty for lying about drinking alcohol before a 1999 auto accident. The suspension takes effect in 30 days.

The high court essentially followed the recommendation issued Feb. 7 by the state Office of Disciplinary Counsel that he be suspended for six months.

Yoshimura yesterday responded to notification of the suspension by saying: "I'm glad to close a very trying chapter in my life, and I'm excited and optimistic about my future."

The high court's action came on the day he had scheduled a well-publicized fund-raiser for his campaign for lieutenant governor. Asked about the timing of the suspension, Yoshimura replied: "We're talking about the Hawai'i Supreme Court. I will not even entertain the thought that there was any kind of political motivation behind the timing of the release."

The case involves a July 1999 incident in which Yoshimura hit a parked car near Ward Centre and drove away. He had insisted he hit a utility pole and had not been drinking before the accident. But in August 2001, he admitted that he did have a drink and had lied about it.