Posted on: Friday, August 20, 2004
Murder suspect violates curfew
By Ken Kobayashi
Advertiser Courts Writer
A 34-year-old Big Island man free on $1 million bond while awaiting trial in the Pali Golf Course double-murder shooting must remain at home for the next 30 days because he violated curfew.
City prosecutors asked Circuit Judge Michael Town yesterday to set aside the bail for Ethan "Malu" Motta of Hilo, citing testimony that he beat up a man at a wedding reception June 26. Motta's lawyer, Todd Eddins, presented witnesses disputing the prosecution witnesses' testimony.
In his ruling, Town said he was appalled that Motta violated his 9 p.m. curfew. And while the judge did not rule on whether Motta slugged William Clifford at about 11:30 p.m. during the reception, the judge said he had some concerns about the community trying to protect Motta.
The judge said that after 30 days, the most he will likely do is allow Motta to leave home to work at a youth organization.
Motta was supposed to be under electronic monitoring, but the court order mandating the monitoring was not presented to intake officials on the Big Island until after the reception. Motta is now being monitored.
Motta and two other men are charged with first-degree murder and related counts in connection with the shooting deaths of Lepo Utu Taliese, 44, and Romilius Corpuz, 40, Jan. 7 at the Windward course. Defendants Kevin Gonsalves, 33, and Rodney Joseph, 35, are being held without bail.
Clifford, a probationer with a record that includes assaulting a police officer, testified that he was about to leave the reception when Motta punched him repeatedly and others started beating him.
But Donovan Gomes, 25, one of the witnesses called by the defense, testified that Clifford hit him on the back of his head after Gomes chatted with Clifford's girlfriend. Gomes said he was the one who later punched Clifford.
Gomes also testified that he recognized the girlfriend when she was walking outside the third-floor courtroom yesterday, but city Deputy Prosecutor Lucianne Khalaf told the judge the woman was never there.
The murder trial is scheduled for the week of Jan. 3.
Reach Ken Kobayashi at kkobayashi@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8030.
