3 defendants identified as 'Aiea gunmen
By Ken Kobayashi
Advertiser Courts Writer
A 27-year-old prosecution witness testified yesterday that three men on trial on murder charges were the masked gunmen in a shooting that killed a man in an 'Aiea garage in 2003.
Kevin Harris of Waipahu testified that he was among the group of men who went to the Pamoho Place home the night of Oct. 26, 2003, to rob the place, but Harris said they all fled after the shooting.
Greg Morishima, 49, who was visiting the Pamoho Place residence, was killed.
Harris is the key prosecution witness in the trial of Micah Kanahele, Rosalino Ramos and Jason Rumbawa, who are charged with murdering Morishima. Anthony K. Brown is charged with robbery as the driver of the getaway vehicle.
The men's defense attorneys, however, told the jury that Harris is lying when he implicates the defendants and is trying to deflect blame from himself and the real masked gunmen.
Harris pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery related to the 'Aiea shooting and another fatal shooting at a Pearl City parking lot six days later. The plea agreement calls for him to serve a maximum 10-year prison term.
Kanahele is charged with murder and attempted murder in the Pearl City shooting. The trial is scheduled for later.
Under heavy security, Harris told the jury yesterday that he and the other four men first tried to rob two other homes before ending up at Pamoho Place.
At the first house, on Royal Summit, he and Ramos climbed over a wall onto the property, but fled when they saw a "big, fluffy dog barking at us," Harris testified.
At the second house in 'Aiea, he and the others carried weapons as they walked down the street.
"It felt like the wild, wild West," he said.
But they encountered another dog and thought of options that included feeding it, opening a gate to let it out or shooting it. They left, however, when they were caught in the headlights of a neighbor's car, he said.
Harris said Kanahele overruled suggestions that they give up on any robbery by leading them to the Pamoho Place residence.
Harris said he carried a shotgun, but did not shoot. He said Kanahele fired his weapon twice and that Ramos and Rumbawa also opened fire.
Reach Ken Kobayashi at kkobayashi@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8030.
