HONOLULU (AP) - The attorney for a man accused of stealing Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha’s mailbox before charges were recently dismissed met this week with the FBI to discuss the police department’s handling of the case.
Federal Public Defender Alexander Silvert presented his perspective Wednesday, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser (https://is.gd/Q2M6ff) reported.
“We had the meeting, and I believe it was productive,” Silvert said. “It’s now in the hands of the FBI.”
A spokesman with the FBI declined comment.
Silvert said he can’t speak for the FBI, but there may be obstruction of justice or criminal rights violations.
Allegations of police misconduct arose in the federal trial of Gerard Puana, who is the uncle of Kealoha’s wife.
Kealoha’s testimony led to a mistrial in the case last month soon after the trial began because he made comments about the Puana’s criminal past. That violated a court rule about presenting information that could bias the jury.
Kealoha was the second witness on the first day of the trial and was being asked how he could identify Puana in blurry surveillance footage that showed a man hoisting the mailbox into a car last year. Kealoha said the man in the video looked the way Puana looked when he was charged with breaking into a neighbor’s home. His response prompted the judge to declare a mistrial.
Prosecutors later moved to dismiss the charges, then forwarded the case to the FBI.
Silvert has said his investigation revealed misconduct and that Kealoha and his wife, Deputy Prosecutor Katherine Kealoha, framed Puana to discredit him in a lawsuit.
Puana and his 95-year-old mother are suing Katherine Kealoha, accusing her of stealing money from them. She denies the allegations.
Earlier this month, Kealoha defended his leadership after four state senators recommended in a letter to the Honolulu Police Commission that co-chiefs help him run the force.
Kealoha said that he didn’t need help. He said his performance had “not waxed or waned in light of this personal challenge.”
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Information from: Honolulu Star-Advertiser, https://www.staradvertiser.com
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