My report on the latest developments in the case of Mike Miske and his co-defendants was posted early this morning over at Civil Beat (“Miske Files: Alleged Crime Boss May Not Get A Las Vegas Trial But He Could Get Another Delay“).

The short version goes like this: Following a Friday morning hearing, it appears very likely Federal Judge Derrick Watson will reject the request by Miske and other defendants to move their upcoming trial out of Hawaii. My story recaps Watson’s reasons for being highly skeptical of a survey commissioned by the defense that concluded there is too much community bias against Miske for these defendants to get a fair trial. Let’s just say Watson didn’t buy it.

And following the hearing, the judge posted an order granting the government’s appeal determining the position of Tom Otake, one of Miske’s key defense attorneys. Watson’s ruling effectively removes Otake from the Miske case due to a conflict of interest. It’s been a complicated argument, but Watson settled it in pretty definitive terms. And he puts some of the blame on Miske himself for arranging the 2014 meeting in a Waikiki school parking lot which put Otake in a legal bind.

Finally, the judge gave Miske’s remaining attorneys permission to file a motion asking for a further delay in the trial, currently scheduled for September, although any request for more time is likely to get closely scrutinized!

I’ll be back later today to share some additional details that didn’t make it into the Civil Beat story. But, for now, check out the latest news.