Police Beat

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New trial ordered in Big Isle slayings

The Hawai'i Supreme Court has ordered a new trial for a Big Island man who was convicted of two counts of manslaughter for the September 1996 shotgun slayings of his ex-wife and her daughter.

Tetsuya Yamada did not deny slaying Carla Russell and her daughter, Rachel De Cambra, during his trial, but claimed he was suffering from an extreme mental or physical disorder that impaired his ability to understand that shooting the two women was wrong and that left him unable to control his actions.

Four of the five state Supreme Court Justices found that faulty jury instructions prevented Yamada from receiving his constitutionally protected right to a free trial.

Guns stolen from North Shore home

Police are investigating the theft of three rifles, seven pistols and 1,000 rounds of ammunition in a burglary of a Sunset Beach residence that occurred between 8 a.m. Tuesday and 2:30 a.m. yesterday.

Police say the missing weapons include AR7, AR7T and AR15 rifles; two Glock and two Ruger semiautomatic pistols, two Lesbauer .45-caliber semiautomatic handguns, and a .45-caliber Smith & Wesson revolver, said police.

The firearms were taken from the bedroom of the man's residence at 59-425 Kamehameha Highway, police said.

Pedestrian hit by car last week dies

A 78-year-old woman pedestrian struck by a car in Chinatown on Thursday died Tuesday night at The Queen's Medical Center.

The medical examiner's office identified her as Mildred Richards.

Police said Richards was struck by a 1994 Chevrolet Camaro being driven by a 78-year-old man on North King Street near Kekaulike Street at 8:35 a.m.

The autopsy results have not been released.