Jury deliberates in shooting of Punchbowl homeowner

By David Waite
Advertiser Courts Writer

The jury in the case of a teenager accused of trying to murder a Punchbowl homeowner last summer will resume deliberations tomorrow morning after spending about an hour yesterday afternoon listening to trial testimony read to them by a court reporter.

The seven women and five men of the jury notified Circuit Judge Marie Milks at about 11 a.m. yesterday that they wanted portions of the testimony read to them to clear up a discrepancy in their notes or recollections about statements as to what took place in the home of Eric Kawamoto on June 26.

Miti Maugaotega Jr., now 18, is accused of breaking into Kawamoto's home, robbing him at gunpoint on that day and then shooting him in the chest from about five feet away. Maugaotega is also being tried on drug and weapons offenses stemming from the same incident.

Maugaotega said during his trial testimony that he chose Kawamoto's home to burglarize because no one was home when he entered it. He said he did not plan to shoot Kawamoto, 44, but did so after Kawamoto went down some stairs as ordered but began to come back up.

State Deputy Public Defender Walter Rodby told the jury that the shooting amounts to first-degree assault at most, but not attempted murder.

City Prosecutor Peter Carlisle told the jury Friday that Maugaotega "knowingly and intentionally" shot Kawamoto, knew that shooting a man in the chest could cause his death and should be found guilty of attempted murder.

Reach David Waite at dwaite@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8030.