Posted at 1:35 p.m., Thursday, April 6, 2006
Trial date set in Kanupa Cave artifacts case
Advertiser staff
A trial date has been set for May 23 for the second man charged with stealing Hawaiian artifacts from a Big Island cave to sell to make a profit.U. S. Magistrate Judge Barry Kurren scheduled the trial for John Carta of the Big Island. Carta is charged with breaking into the Kanupa Cave in June 2004 and taking the items in violation of the federal Native American Grave Protection and Repatriation Act.
Carta, 45, will plead to the two misdemeanor charges later. Carta's lawyer Rustam Barbee said he doesn't know what plea his client will enter until the lawyer receives police reports in the case.
Daniel W. Taylor, 39, the other man charged with violating the federal law, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor last week.
The two are the first here to be prosecuted under the federal law.
