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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, October 27, 2008

Witness testifies in Kula shooting

By Melissa Tanji
Maui News

WAILUKU — A witness in court last week described a shooting at an outdoor barbecue in Kula last year that led to an overnight standoff with police.

Darryl Vincent was part of a group at the barbecue with his friend, Francis "Randy" Randall, who was wounded in the confrontation.

"I heard pop, pop, pop. I thought it was fireworks," Vincent said in describing the shooting to a 2nd Circuit Court jury on Thursday.

Mark Martins, 55, has pleaded not guilty to 18 charges including multiple counts of attempted murder in connection with the shooting.

His trial before Judge Joseph Cardoza began Wednesday.

According to police reports and statements to the jury, Martins allegedly fired dozens of rounds in a confrontation with the group at about 10:40 p.m. on May 2, 2007.

The scene was a cluster of homes on a 1-acre property just above Kula Highway in the Waiohuli-Keokea area.

When police arrived, Martins shut himself in his rental unit and officers evacuated several homes and closed a portion of the highway during an overnight standoff. Martins was arrested when he surrendered at 7 a.m. the next day.

Martins and Randall lived in separate units of the same house on the property. According to statements on the case, Martins had asked Randall to move his van and a car that were blocking Martins' truck. One man moved his vehicle, but Randall refused and Martins returned to the house.

According to the statements, he emerged from the house about 30 minutes later with a semiautomatic pistol and began firing.

On Thursday, Vincent testified that the shooting began as Martins again came out of his unit and called out, "What you going do now, Randy?'"

Vincent said Martins then yelled: "'Get down on the ground, get down on the ground.'"

Martins fired shots in Randall's direction as Randall sat in a chair, Vincent said.

He said Martins then began shooting at the front of Randall's van and Randall picked up a beer bottle and threw it at Martins, hitting him in the upper middle part of his chest near his chin.

Vincent said he then saw Randall grab his left elbow and run away as Martins continued shooting at the van, Vincent said.

During cross-examination by defense attorney Don Wilkerson, Vincent said Martins did not pursue Randall.

Wilkerson pointed out inconsistencies in Vincent's testimony Thursday and statements he made at a previous court hearing and to police. The contradictions included whether Vincent said Randall was sitting or standing while shots were fired, who or what Martins was aiming at and how many beers Vincent had that night.

In his opening statements Wednesday, the defense attorney said Martins did not aim at Randall, although a bullet ricocheted into Randall's right thigh and another hit his left elbow as he ran.

Martins is being held without bail at the Maui Community Correctional Center.

The trial continues today.