Suspect in killing of officer pleads not guilty
By David Waite
Advertiser Courts Writer
Shane Mark, accused of killing a police officer who was trying to arrest him at Kapolei Shopping Center, pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder yesterday.
Advertiser library photo • March 5, 2003
During his arraignment in Circuit Court, Mark, 28, entered his plea from O'ahu Community Correctional Center via a video conference hookup. He is accused of shooting officer Glen Gaspar March 4 while Gaspar and other officers were attempting to arrest him on a warrant for attempted-murder charges.
Shane Mark is accused of killing officer Glen Gaspar.
Gaspar, 40, was shot twice in the chest and once in the hip, and died a short time later.
Acting Circuit Judge Rhonda Nishimura set a tentative trial date of May 12 for Mark, who is being held in lieu of $7 million bail.
City Deputy Prosecutor Christopher Van Marter has asked that Mark be held without bail, but a firm hearing date on the no-bail request had not been set yesterday.
State Deputy Public Defender Todd Eddins represented Mark at the arraignment but said Deputy Public Defender Debra Loy will likely represent Mark in the future.
A review of court files yesterday showed that city Deputy Prosecutor Mark Nugent asked in early 1998 that Mark be sentenced to 10 years in prison, instead of five, on two counts of car theft, one count of burglary and one count of breaking into a car.
In a one-paragraph argument in support of his request, Nugent wrote: "Defendant Shane Mark has a history of criminality that has continued despite his prior contacts with the criminal justice system. The defendant has demonstrated a total disregard for the rights of others ... (he) poses a serious threat to the community and his long-term incarceration is necessary for the protection of the public."
The extended term request was denied and Mark was sentenced March 30, 1998, to five years on each of the counts, with the prison terms to run concurrently. He was discharged from prison in November 2002.
