I would have expected that Governor Josh Green’s appearancea witness in Honolulu’s Federal District Court to testify against a men who posted video on Instagram threatening to behead the governor (and Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi) might have been considered news.
Apparently not.
As far as I can tell, there was no news coverage of the governor’s testimony, or the case in general. And I was out of town when Green was called to court.
The defendant, Lindsey Kinney, was arrested in April 2022 and charged with using Instagram to issue threats against Waianae harbor master Joseph Simpliciano, his wife, and a friend following an incident at the harbor involving the self-described “commander” of a group known as Occupied Forces Hawaii Army. A second count added later in a superseding indictment alleged Kinney also conveyed similar threats against the governor, the governor’s security staff, and Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi.
The two counts of violating 18 U.S. Code § 875(c) (Interstate communications) each carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
According to court minutes, Green testified in person on Friday, February 3. He was sworn in as a witness, questioned, and then cross examined by Lindsey’s defense attorney, trial minutes show.
As far as I’ve been able to determine, there was no news coverage of the governor’s appearance in court or his testimony regarding the threatened beheading.
*Note: The Star-Advertiser’s Peter Boylan reported on the verdict in an article published February 10 (“Man found guilty in online death threats“).
Kinney’s threat against the governor and mayor were part of a 15-minute video posted on Kinney’s “ioandjustice” Instagram account on March 28, 2022 in which Kinney threatened to kill “by beheading” both Green and Blangiardi. Court records show the post “also includes antisemitic remarks” Kinney aimed at Governor Green.
The federal jury convicted Kinney on both counts. He will be sentenced later.
Kinney was the target of an attempted murder by alleged racketeering boss and former Honolulu business owner Michael J. Miske Jr., and several others, who are charged with ambushing Kinney in a parking area at Kualoa Ranch back in May 2017. The unsuccessful attack is described in Count 8 of the third superseding indictment that names Miske and six remaining co-defendants.
Although one or more shots were fired, Kinney escaped unharmed, and publicly identified Miske and his brother, John Stancil, along with Jacob “Jake” Smith, as taking part in the ambush. In an interview by Hawaii News Now broadcast following Miske’s indictment and arrest in July 2020, Kinney alleged he was targeted because he had turned down an offer of cash to kill Jonathan Fraser, and also refused a cash payment to keep quiet about the original offer, and had become a “loose end” that needed to be “cleaned up.”
Miske’s attorneys have suggested the ambush had nothing to do with Miske or his alleged racketeering organization, but was the result of a “beef” between Kinney and Smith over a $15,000 drug debt Kinney had been attempting to collect.
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Once again, thank you, Mr. Lind, for a story we would not likely read in any other form of news media.
Quite remarkable that it is largely unreported to the public and the story itself is intriquing in any case.
Yet certain media go gaga when Aquaman submits token online testimony with literally a single word in support of a self-serving bill that would raise the cap on tax credits for film productions and give away an additional $25 million.
Governor who?
Oh my! Personally, don’t give space to threats that are mainly uttered by angry children. Really think a beheading would be more than tah-dah-dah grandstanding? Feel more that media space is lacking on war, environmental and economic truths , which are really more life threatening in the long view.
Well, good news that Kinney is where a jury and judge believe he belongs…. or is it?
Your blog and articles indicate that crimes and innocent people awaiting trial are openly operating inside the pen.
Many of the officers that joined the Colonel Lillikoi circus have resigned after the truth about their fearless leader revealed him as a criminal NOT A JAG OFFICER!!! Oh but I digress, fearing that we’ve not seen the last of hot head Hawai’ian gangsters organizing another attack on the unlawful occupation…. while innocent people get caught in the crossfire.
I would guess when you are reporting traffic and weather every 10 minutes beginning at 4:30 am when most of us are asleep, now including the ridiculous first weather report in a place where there basically isn’t any weather, there isn’t time for anything else…..
Did Civil Beat report it? Aren’t they a news organization?
No, as far as I know Civil Beat did not report it.
Major fumble by the local MSM. Inexcusable.
Does the governor publish his daily schedule in advance? Is there any way the public could have been aware of what witnesses were expected to testify that day?
I never did see anything in Civil Beat about this but today’s Star Advertiser has a fairly detailed story.