KEALAKEKUA — The slow-moving trial of Byuong Soo Choi, who was arrested for having 14 pounds of marijuana recovered in his Kailua Village home, picked back up Tuesday.
Choi, 57, is charged with second-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, possession of drug paraphernalia and attempted first-degree promotion of a detrimental drug. He faces up to 25 years incarceration if convicted.
Sgt. Kalae Lee, the man responsible for recovering evidence from Choi’s home in 2013, explained to the court how he recovered marijuana from inside storage bins in two closets. Officers also found two digital scales of the style he said were used by people selling drugs.
Deputy defense attorney Wendy DeWeese said that during parts of the recovery there was no paper trail of who had what evidence.
Lee said that was easy to explain.
“It didn’t leave my hands,” said Lee.
“Well, you put it in the truck,” said DeWeese.
“Yes, and locked the door,” he said.
Part of the complexity of the record-keeping was the numerous bags the drugs were kept in, Lee said, which created additional paperwork. That includes the four “snack-size” bags allegedly found within Choi’s vehicle, which he was seen driving in the Coconut Grove Marketplace area.
The case was delayed for 15 minutes when a juror failed to appear. Third Circuit Court Judge Ronald Ibarra finally ordered an alternative juror to take over. When the missing juror arrived, she waited in the gallery before being called before the judge.
“I was going to issue a warrant for your arrest for not showing up when all the other jurors were here,” Ibarra said.
She told the judge she called the wrong number, which said she wasn’t needed. Ibarra ordered her to appear in court on Thursday on a contempt of court charge, which carries a potential sentence of up to 30 days in jail.
Choi, who moved to the United States from Korea in 1982, asked that the simultaneous translation cease before the day began.
“It’s better for me to listen, if I don’t understand, I ask my interpreter,” he said.
On Friday, when trial began, he went back and forth on whether to accept a plea, which dragged out matters. The final day of trial is expected to wrap up today.
