State’s high court suspends Katherine Kealoha’s law license
HONOLULU — The Hawaii Supreme Court is suspending the law license of former high-powered deputy Honolulu prosecutor Katherine Kealoha after she was convicted last week of conspiracy.
The court on Wednesday ordered Kealoha restrained from practicing law in Hawaii. It acted in response to a petition filed by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel on Monday. The office investigates complaints against Hawaii lawyers.
Kealoha’s attorney, Earle Partington, said Kealoha knew that would happen. He said suspension is automatic when someone is convicted.
A jury last week found Kealoha and her now-retired Honolulu police chief husband Louis Kealoha guilty in a plot to frame a relative to silence him from revealing fraud that financed their lavish lifestyle.
A judge ordered Kealoha to be jailed while she awaits sentencing.
Prosecutors send inmate shooting case to attorney general
HONOLULU — Honolulu prosecutors are asking the state attorney general’s office to review the fatal shooting of an inmate by a guard.
The state Department of Public Safety said at the time that Maurice Arrisgado was attempting to run from the Oahu Community Correctional Center in March when he was shot.
Honolulu police initially classified the shooting as an unattended death and then forwarded the case to prosecutors as second-degree murder.
Prosecutor spokesman Brooks Baehr said Wednesday that to avoid a conflict, the case was sent to the attorney general because Arrisgado’s father is an ex-prosecutor.
Eric Seitz, an attorney for Arrisgado’s family, says Arrisgado was shot in the back. Seitz says instead of taking Arrisgado to a hospital, guards put him in a van and drove back to the jail.
Waikiki businesses receive false alert about active shooter
HONOLULU — A shopping center in Waikiki sent a false alert to merchants informing them about an active shooter.
International Market Place said in a statement that the message was inadvertently sent Wednesday during a routine test of an emergency communication system.
Magnolia Ice Cream & Treats employee Ronan Andal said it was a little scary to receive an automated phone call warning about an active shooter. He said the call didn’t provide any information about what to do, so “we just kept doing our thing.”
He said another automated call came about 20 minutes later saying it was a false alarm.
Honolulu police sent an alert saying there’s no active shooter threat. Police say a text was mistakenly sent to businesses.
International Market Place’s statement apologizes.
Attorneys general weigh in on LGBTQ employment cases
AUGUSTA, Maine — A coalition led by the attorneys general of Illinois and New York, which includes Hawaii, filed a legal brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in hiring.
The brief comes ahead of oral arguments on three cases that could determine whether gays, lesbians and transgender people are protected from discrimination by existing federal civil rights laws.
Maine is among the states joining the brief filed Wednesday. State Attorney General Aaron Frey said the brief’s argument is “rooted in the fundamental principle of equal treatment” and that discrimination is unacceptable.
More than 200 corporations issued a similar call.
Others joining the brief are California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.
