Dean Yamashiro, public defender, dead at 52
By David Waite
Advertiser Courts Writer
Those who knew him best described First Deputy Public Defender Dean Yamashiro yesterday as competent, caring and — above all — compassionate.
Yamashiro, who worked for the state Office of the Public Defender for more than 20 years, collapsed from an apparent heart attack while jogging in Nu'uanu Saturday, not far from his Liliha home, and could not be revived.
Dean Yamashiro
He was 52.
State Public Defender John Tonaki said Yamashiro had high blood pressure problems but was a dedicated runner and marathon finisher who loved his job, the people he worked with and the strangers he worked for. A former police detective, Yamashiro joined the Public Defender's office in June 1983.
"He just loved helping people and he had a deep caring for the underprivileged in our community," Tonaki said. "His office was in the middle of our complex and there was always a constant stream of people — staff seeking answers, clients needing help, even lawyers from the outside with questions."
Tonaki said that Yamashiro, who had a long-time girlfriend but was not married, had no children of his own, but had a special place in his heart for the children of the deputy public defenders.
The walls in Yamashiro's office are lined with five bulletin boards that tell of the journeys made by coworkers' children, many of whom can be traced from birth to preschool and ultimately to high school graduation.
"He knew everybody's name and their kids' names as well," said Circuit Judge Richard Pollack, who was appointed director of the Public Defender's office in 1987. Yamashiro was appointed first deputy a short while later.
Yamashiro kept a ready supply of candy and used his own money to buy books for the children of deputies who often put in long hours preparing for a trial while "Uncle Dean" looked after the kids, Pollack said
"He was a remarkable person, just a remarkable person," he said.
He said Yamashiro was unique in that he was "remarkably competent at what he did and at the same time, was one of the most thoughtful people I have ever known."
When Yamashiro learned the mother of one of the staff members was suffering from Alzheimer's disease, he bought a book for her on how to cope with the problem. He never forgot a birthday, kept a supply of stand-by gifts for those who did and always seemed to know the right size and color, Pollack said.
"His importance to the Public Defender's office cannot be overstated. He was the glue that everyone stuck to to make the office work," Pollack said.
Deputy Public Defender Susan Arnett, who worked with Yamashiro for more than 20 years, described him as "the heart and soul of our office," someone whose compassion knew no bounds.
"The standing line about Dean at the office was, 'For someone who has no children, he sure has a lot of children,' " Arnett said.
Even those who stood on the opposite side of the courtroom were stunned and saddened by his death.
City Prosecutor Peter Carlisle remembered Yamashiro as always polite, someone who spoke with a calm and reasoned voice in an environment not always conducive of those traits.
Deputy Prosecutor Rom Trader said he didn't always agree with Yamashiro, "but when he said something, you would sit up and pay attention
"He had this really nice, quiet, humble way about him," Trader said.
Yamashiro graduated from McKinley High School and the University of Hawai'i's William S. Richardson School of Law. Prior to going to law school, Yamashiro worked for the Honolulu Police Department where he advanced to the rank of detective.
Services are pending.
Reach David Waite at dwaite@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8030.
