One of three men accused of gunning down a man in an 'Aiea garage in October 2003 was found guilty yesterday of the lesser charge of manslaughter.

Micah Kanahele had been charged with second-degree murder, first-degree robbery and seven firearms violations in connection with the shooting death of Greg Morishima. A Circuit Court jury deliberated for about two weeks before finding him guilty of manslaughter.

Kanahele, who also was found guilty on the robbery and firearms charges, faces a maximum 20 years in prison on the manslaughter charge when he is sentenced by Circuit Judge Michael Town on Feb. 23. A second-degree murder conviction would have carried a maximum term of life in prison with the possibility of parole.

Kanahele was on trial with two other men who were accused of murdering Morishima, 49, as he sat in a friend's garage five days before Halloween 2003. Rosalino Ramos and Jason Rumbawa were charged with second-degree murder, robbery and firearms counts. A fourth defendant, Anthony Brown, was charged with robbery in the case.

But the jury told Town yesterday morning that it could not reach a verdict on the other men and Town declared a mistrial.

It was the second time a jury has been unable to reach a verdict in this case. In April, a mistrial was declared when a jury said it was hopelessly deadlocked on all charges.

City Deputy Prosecutor Lucianne Khalaf and Richard Hoke, Kanahele's attorney, declined to comment because the two are involved in a separate murder trial of Kanahele, who is charged with the Nov. 1, 2003, murder of Guylan Nuuhiwa.

Nuuhiwa was shot in the parking lot of the Longs Drugs in Pearl City after he refused to lower the price of a quarter-pound of marijuana, police said. That trial is scheduled for the week of Jan. 9.

Art Ross, Rumbawa's attorney, could not be a reached for comment.

Deputy Public Defender Ronette Kawakami, who represented Ramos, said she will file a motion to dismiss the charges against Ramos, who also is charged with robbery in connection with the Nuuhiwa shooting.

In the Morishima murder, prosecutors alleged that the defendants were out to rob drug houses on the night of the shooting. Prosecution witness Kevin K. Harris, who testified he participated in plans that night to rob the houses, said that he, Kanahele, Ramos and Rumbawa went to the 'Aiea home and that the other three fired on Morishima after he joked with the masked intruders that "it's too early for Halloween."

As part of a plea agreement, Harris pleaded guilty to robbery and agreed to a maximum 10-year prison term.

Reach Curtis Lum at culum@honoluluadvertiser.com.