Detective in murder case investigated
By Ken Kobayashi and Peter Boylan
Advertiser Staff Writers
Police have launched an internal affairs investigation into the lead detective in the 2003 shooting death of a man in an 'Aiea garage, according to court documents.
The trial of four men charged with murder and robbery in connection with the shooting ended April 11 with a mistrial after the jurors reported they were deadlocked 11-1 in favor of conviction.
Honolulu police spokeswoman Michelle Yu last week confirmed that an officer had been reassigned and that the officer's gun and badge were removed pending the outcome of an internal affairs investigation.
Yu said the department was not releasing the officer's name, nor the nature or details of the complaint.
But in court papers, Honolulu criminal defense lawyer Richard Hoke identifies the detective as homicide detective Sheryl Sunia.
Hoke's papers state an anonymous letter triggered the internal affairs investigation, and he wants a judge to determine if its contents should be disclosed to lawyers for the defendants.
Hoke yesterday submitted a request to Circuit Judge Michael Town asking him to review the document.
The lawyer said he will withdraw the request if the prosecution provides him with the document before the hearing on the motion.
The hearing is tentatively scheduled for May 11.
Sunia could not be reached for comment yesterday. City Deputy Prosecutor Lucianne Khalaf, who handled the prosecution, said last week she was not commenting. She could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Hoke represents Micah Kanahele, 24, who is charged in connection with the Oct. 26, 2003, shooting, which a prosecution witness said was a drug robbery that went awry. Kanahele, Rosalino Ramos and Jason Rumbawa, all 24, are charged with murdering Greg Morishima.
Anthony K. Brown, 24, is charged with robbery only as the driver of the getaway vehicle.
Sunia testified during the trial. A new trial for all four men is scheduled for the week of July 25.
During the trial, defense attorneys contended the police work and investigation were sloppy and inadequate. They argued that the key prosecution witness, Kevin K. Harris, 27, who identified the three murder defendants as the masked gunmen, was trying to protect the real murderers.
Acting Lt. Alex Garcia, chairman of the O'ahu chapter of the State of Hawai'i Police Officers Union, yesterday said the detective has yet to be served with any formal paperwork detailing the allegations.
"We have received no documents to verify allegations or anything at all," said Garcia.
Garcia earlier said the officer was "very upset, very disgusted that the department would take this type of extreme measure.
"I don't think anything will come of it," he had said.
Reach Ken Kobayashi at kkobayashi@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8030. Reach Peter Boylan at pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8110.
