Kealiiokalani Meheula testified that he stabbed his friend Percy Kipapa in self defense in a pickup truck May 16 last year because Kipapa was choking him, but the jury deliberated for a total of about a day before rejecting the defense and finding Meheula guilty of murder.

The jury also declined to find Meheula guilty of a lesser offense of manslaughter.

Circuit Judge Karl Sakamoto scheduled the sentencing for Sept. 6. Meheula faces a mandatory life term with parole.

The judge also granted a prosecution's request to hold Meheula without bail in view of the guilty verdict.

Meheula had been free on $150,000 bond.