The state Senate yesterday voted to confirm District Judge Edwin Nacino as a Circuit Court judge on O'ahu.

Nacino replaces Judge Karen Blondin, who retired.

State Sen. Brian Taniguchi, D-10th (Mänoa, McCully), chairman of the Senate Judiciary and Government Operations Committee, cited the breadth of Nacino's legal background and the scope of his trial experience in the committee's report on his nomination.

"Judge Nacino has the experience, temperament, judiciousness and other competencies to be a Circuit Court judge, and has a good sense of where the equities, rights and responsibilities lie in a case, which is essential for a Circuit Court judge," Taniguchi found.

Nacino, a District Court judge since 2005, is a former partner in the firm Roeca, Louie and Hiraoka, deputy corporation counsel for Honolulu, prosecuting attorney and Honolulu police officer. He graduated from the University of Hawai'i law school.

The Senate vote was 21-0, with four senators excused.

68-YEAR-OLD CHARGED IN CHILD SEX ASSAULT

A 68-year-old man was charged yesterday in a sexual assault on a 5-year-old Kalihi girl.

Tutau Nuusila was charged with one count of first-degree sexual assault. His bail was set at $150,000 and he is scheduled to make his initial appearance in Honolulu District Court on Monday.

Nuusila is accused of sexually assaulting the girl from Nov. 10 to 12 in her Kalihi home. Police said the assaults occurred while the girl was asleep.

Police arrested Nuusila Thursday afternoon near the Kapi'olani Park Bandstand.

Nuusila is on the state's sex offender registry. He had sex assault convictions in 1986 and 1989, according to the registry.

MAN PULLED FROM BYUH POOL DIES

A man died yesterday in an apparent drowning at the swimming pool at Brigham Young University-Hawai'i in Lä'ie.

Bryan Cheplic, spokes-man for the Emergency Services Department, said bystanders pulled the man from the pool.

Paramedics were called about 6:20 a.m. and took the man, who appeared to be in his 50s, to a hospital in critical condition. Cheplic said the man died shortly after.