Hawaii News Now investigative reporter Lynn Kawano dropped a bombshell story on Thursday evening.
In a story broadcast at 6 p.m., Kawano said a federal agents in Arizona and Hawaii have been investigating what they beleive is a murder-for-hire plot targeting Judge Michael Seabright and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Wheat. Kawano said both men have had 24/7 security since the investigation began.
Until recently, Seabright was the federal judge presiding over the upcoming trial of former Honolulu prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro, and several officers and employees of Mitsunaga and associates, a Honolulu-based architectural and engineering firm. Wheat is the special prosecutor who in the lead in the case. All defendants are charged with conspiring to bribe Kaneshiro with campaign contributions to file criminal charges against a former employee who had sued the company after she was discharged.
Kawano reported that the latest investigation began in December, and focuses on attorney Sheri Tanaka, who is believed to be behind the alleged murder plot. Tanaka formerly represented Mitsunaga & Associates, and is also a defendant in the criminal conspiracy case.
Last week, the federal probation office filed a motion asking for a bail review hearing to consider whether Tanaka’s release on bond should be ended on the grounds that she could be a danger to another person or to the community. A hearing on that motion is scheduled before Magistrate Judge Nathanael Cousins at 10:30 this morning (Friday).
On January 23, FBI agents executed a search warrant at 966 Robello Lane, three businesses are located–Halm’s Entrprise, Diamond Head Seafood, and Leahi Seafood–all owned by local businessman Michael Irish.
Kawano reported Irish has accompanied Tanaka several times when she appeared in Honolulu’s Federal District Court.
Irish said in a statement to Hawaii News Now that he is cooperating fully with the investigation. Irish’s attorney said they have been told Irish is considered a potential witness and not a target of the investigation.
There’s sure to be a follow-up story later today following the hearing.
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Ian, let’s pretend the hit job was carried through and the presiding Judge and US Attorney were murdered. And because they got away with it, we can assume that law enforcement was caught off guard and has no evidence and proof of the defendant(s) direct involvement.
To what extent, if any, would the defendants be better off by ordering this hit job?
If anything, there would be a darker shadow cast over the defendants (Kaneshiro, Mitsunaga & Associates, Tanaka), making their trial even more challenging to win?
Or perhaps, an act like this would result in some much needed judge and jury intimidation which would be akin to a Hail Mary Pass.
My suspicion is that the defendants know they are screwed and are intent on making this personal.
Another theory is that Tanaka was convinced to order a hit job by someone very high up, still yet to be named.
Hey, Michael, that last sentence sounds plausible to me! We will now have to await developments.
Looks to me like the ghost of Al Capone’s Chicago is alive and well in our Honolulu. Whacking a Federal District Court Judge and Us Attorney is something even Big Al wouldn’t have done. Bribe them maybe, but not whack them. You almost need a score card to keep track of public corruption in our city. Imprisoned Chief of Police, Deputy Prosecutor in prison, her boss and friends going to trial for corruption, members of our legislature imprisoned for bribery, former union bosses doing long prison terms. And Mike Miske is supposed to be the face of organized crime?
Should have read “imprisoned” but perhaps they were impassioned by what they did……[the original post has been corrected]
Reads like the sequal to The Wire
This story seems to contradict earlier stories that Seabright recused himself because of legal issues only.
My first impression was that Seabright was given an offer he couldn’t refuse. First impressions are often right.
It would now appear that Ian was, ahem, mistaken when he counseled readers last month to “forget the conspiracy theories” and attributed Judge Seabright’s abrupt recusal to a convoluted history of other legal machinations “hiding in plain sight,” and unfortunately took issue with other reportage noting a lack of clarity on the reason for said recusal.
Will he now admit or omit?
See my reply to the prior comment.
And who is the alleged hitman ? Possibly a member of the Miske crew?
If the investigation involved Hawaii and Arizona, it would apepar he/she/they may be from there.
It could also involve a Hawaii ex-con that decided to remain in Arizona after release from Saguaro Correctional Center.
Perhaps an inmate whose family moved to Arizona to be closer to the inmate?
That will be the fun part.
Proves yet again, gvmnt and crooks are just different labels tied-at-hip.