Honolulu’s Former Top Prosecutor and Co-Defendants Acquitted in Federal Bribery Trial
Staff Editor
2 min read
In the sunny paradise of Honolulu, a legal drama unfolded that could give any courtroom TV show a run for its money. The central figure in this real-life plot was none other than the former top prosecutor of Honolulu, Keith Kaneshiro. Accused of being on the receiving end of some shady campaign donations in exchange for prosecuting a former employee of an engineering and architectural firm, Kaneshiro found himself in the hot seat facing charges of bribery.
A U.S. grand jury indictment in 2022 shook the tranquil shores of Honolulu, implicating Kaneshiro and five others in a web of alleged corruption. The accusations pointed to employees of Mitsunaga & Associates, who were purportedly involved in greasing the wheels with over $45,000 in campaign contributions to Kaneshiro between 2012 and 2016. The firm’s owner, Dennis Mitsunaga, didn’t escape the legal storm either, landing himself behind bars amid claims of witness tampering.
As the trial unfolded, tensions ran high, with Mitsunaga and his cohorts anxiously awaiting their fate. After nearly two days of nail-biting deliberations, the jury dropped the bombshell – not guilty across the board. Kaneshiro, who had weathered the legal storm with steely resolve, couldn’t hide his relief, proclaiming to reporters, “I feel vindicated.” His lawyer, Birney Bervar, echoed the sentiment, confident in his client’s innocence from the get-go.
The saga took an unexpected turn when U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright, initially overseeing the case, recused himself in a surprising twist of events just a month before the trial’s commencement. Stepping into the fray was U.S. Senior District Judge Timothy Burgess, who flew in from Alaska to ensure justice was served. Despite the upheaval and allegations of threats against Seabright, Burgess stood firm, adamant that the trial would proceed as scheduled.
In the aftermath of this legal rollercoaster, the dust settled, leaving Kaneshiro and his co-defendants walking free. The former prosecutor could finally breathe a sigh of relief, putting the tumultuous chapter behind him. The courtroom drama may have come to a close, but the echoes of this high-stakes trial are sure to linger in the corridors of Honolulu’s legal history.
