A 40-year-old Pahoa man accused of fatally stabbing his mother late last month pleaded not guilty on Monday.
Hilo Circuit Judge Glenn Hara ordered Sean Alan Rutledge to appear for trial at 10 a.m. Jan. 19, 2016.
Rutledge is charged with second-degree murder for the slaying of 63-year-old Nadean Rutledge outside her Kapoho Kai Drive home on the evening of Aug. 25. She was an information officer for the Waiopae tide pools in Kapoho.
Deputy Prosecutor Michelle West told the judge the trial would take about six weeks, and Kevin Hashizaki is the deputy prosecutor assigned to the case.
Sean Rutledge is a former attorney who was disbarred in New York under the name of Alan Frank and was allowed to resign from the practice of law in California amid allegations of malpractice stemming from his representation of homeowners there and in other states who were in default on mortgage payments or in foreclosure proceedings.
Rutledge entered the courtroom Monday with his eyes open, but closed them as soon as he stood at the defense table, his eyelids fluttering throughout the hearing in a manner reminiscent of rapid-eye-movement sleep. Despite that, he appeared coherent and answered a series of routine questions from the judge with “yes,” “I understand” and “understood.”
Rutledge was indicted on the murder charge Wednesday by a Hilo grand jury, and Hara issued a no-bail bench warrant at that time.
“Your Honor, the state is requesting that his no-bail status be maintained,” West told Hara.
Rutledge’s attorney, Deputy Public Defender Tiara Maumau, told the judge her client is “requesting bail in the amount of $50,000 in accordance with the bail guidelines.”
“I’m unaware of any motions for no bail at this point. I’m also unaware of any record of this in court, and I do not have a bail study, as well,” Maumau added.
Hara set a bail hearing for 9:30 a.m. Oct. 6.
In addition, Rutledge is being held without bail on a California extradition warrant alleging he violated his probation on a conviction of a criminal threat to cause great bodily harm.
A hearing for further proceedings on the extradition warrant is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Sept. 23 before Hilo Circuit Judge Greg Nakamura.
It appears unlikely California authorities will extradite Rutledge since he faces a murder charge here.
“I cannot comment on what California’s intentions are in regard to Mr. Rutledge,” Hashizaki told the Hawaii Tribune-Herald Monday afternoon. “What I can say is that California has been notified that Mr. Rutledge has been indicted on a murder 2 charge and is being held without bail.”