Updated at 8:02 p.m., Wednesday, January 2, 2008
U.S. will try Hawaii shooting suspect
Advertiser Staff
A state judge today granted a prosecution motion clearing the way for Rodney Joseph Jr. to be tried for murder, racketeering, and using violence in aid of racketeering in federal court.Before Circuit Judge Michael Town's ruling, Joseph was scheduled to be tried in state court for murder in the January 2004 Pali Golf Course shooting case and for racketeering-related crimes in February in federal court.
After reassessing the state's case, Honolulu Prosecutor Peter Carlisle and U.S. Attorney for Hawai'i Ed Kubo agreed to have the murder and racketeering cases tried in federal court.
Carlisle's office has filed similar motions against Ethan "Malu" Motta and Kevin "Pancho" Gonsalves, two other defendants in the Pali shooting case, which Town is scheduled to rule on Tuesday.
Joseph's federal trial will start Feb. 12.
