Judge likely to take up former power couple’s fraud case
HONOLULU — A retired Honolulu police chief and his former prosecutor wife don’t want to be tried by a jury on charges including bank fraud and identity theft in Hawaii’s biggest corruption case.
Court documents show Louis and Katherine Kealoha are waiving their right to a jury trial and want a judge to decide the case.
Jurors convicted the Kealohas in June of conspiracy in a plot to frame a relative for stealing their home mailbox to hide fraud that financed the couple’s lavish lifestyle.
The second trial against them is scheduled for January. A judge wants to hear from them at a hearing Wednesday to ensure their waiver of a jury is “knowing, intelligent and voluntary.”
Earle Partington, one of Katherine Kealoha’s attorneys, says they’re negotiating a plea deal with prosecutors.
Waikiki bar owner hit with $250K harassment fine
HONOLULU — The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission says the owners of a shuttered Waikiki sports bar must pay more than $250,000 in penalties for sexual harassment.
A lawsuit says an owner, managers and patrons of Snappers Sports Bar and Grill subjected women employees to harassment, including lewd comments about their bodies and inappropriate touching.
Pacific Fun Enterprises, doing business as Snappers Sports Bar and Grill and Snap-ette Beach and Liquor Store filed for bankruptcy in 2017. The agency will try to recover the $250,000 through bankruptcy proceedings.
A bankruptcy attorney representing the company didn’t immediately return messages seeking comment. Court documents say Michael and Colleen Wenzel owned the bar. They couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
The agency announced Friday that the ruling comes after the company failed to answer the lawsuit.
From wire sources