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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, September 25, 2002

Woman involved in Harris probe indicted in theft case

By Johnny Brannon
Advertiser Staff Writer

A woman who failed to appear before an investigative grand jury probing campaign fund-raising by Mayor Jeremy Harris and the awarding of city contracts was charged in an unrelated theft case yesterday.

An O'ahu grand jury indicted Lisa K. Otsuka, 32, on one count of second degree theft for allegedly stealing several thousand dollars that was raised for a Tahitian cultural group to take children on a trip to Maui.

Bail has been set at $50,000, and a bench warrant has been issued for Otsuka's arrest.

Investigators discovered her alleged involvement in the April 2001 theft while working on an unrelated case, deputy city prosecutor Randal Lee said. He declined to provide details.

Otsuka was arrested on Sept. 9 after she failed to appear before the Harris grand jury when she was subpoenaed.

Investigators have inquired whether Otsuka received any money from the Harris campaign. Harris has said he does not know Otsuka, and campaign officials said they are not aware of any involvement by Otsuka in Harris' campaign for mayor or governor, or of any payments to her.

Otsuka's attorney for the Harris inquiry, Michael Green, said he expected Otsuka to invoke her Fifth Amendment right against self incrimination and refuse to testify unless granted immunity from prosecution.

"She said she'll testify as soon as it stops snowing," Green said. "Has it ever snowed here?"

He said the bail for the theft case seemed unusually high, and that he believed prosecutors want to keep Otsuka in jail to make sure she appears before the grand jury.

"It's like killing a flea with an elephant," he said. "The prosecutor obviously has a special place in his heart for her."

Lee said the high bail is meant to insure that Otsuka does not fail to appear in court on the theft charge.

"We asked for high bail because apparently she has no verifiable employment or place of residence," Lee said. "We don't know where she is."

Otsuka could not be reached for comment. No one answered the door at her last known address, which court records show was the subject of eviction proceedings. Green said he had not spoken to her in about two weeks but did not consider her a fugitive.

Reach Johnny Brannon at jbrannon@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8070.