Posted on: Tuesday, June 3, 2003

Not guilty plea made in Harris case

By Johnny Brannon
Advertiser Staff Writer

A prominent Honolulu lawyer pleaded not guilty yesterday to two misdemeanor charges stemming from alleged illegal campaign contributions to Mayor Jeremy Harris.

Edward Y.C. Chun, 71, was indicted by an O'ahu grand jury last month for allegedly steering at least $9,000 from the Food Pantry grocery chain to Harris between 1996 and 2000. The legal limit is $4,000.

Prosecutors have said a person associated with Harris's campaign committee solicited the contributions from Chun, who then advised Food Pantry employees to donate the money under their names.

Chun's attorney, Dale Lee, declined to discuss details of the case yesterday. Prosecutors would not specify who asked Chun to arrange the donations, or whether Food Pantry had sought anything in return.

Harris has said he does not know Chun and was not lobbied by Food Pantry. Harris's attorney has said the mayor did not request or knowingly accept any illegal donations.

Chun, senior partner with the Chun Kerr Dodd Beaman and Wong law firm, faces up to two years in jail and a $2,000 fine if convicted. He did not personally appear at his arraignment yesterday.

Circuit Judge Dan Kochi scheduled a trial for the week of July 21.

The case is the second to involve criminal charges since prosecutors began investigating Harris' campaign finances 16 months ago.

Last December, SSFM International engineering firm president Michael Matsumoto pleaded no contest to felony money laundering and misdemeanor campaign finance charges. He awaits sentencing. Three others associated with the firm were charged with misdemeanors.