Latest story: Ex-Honolulu Prosecutor Kaneshiro and 5 others found not guilty in bribery trial
Closing arguments have begun in a federal bribery trial against Honolulu's former top prosecutor and five current or former employees of an engineering and architectural firm.
Federal prosecutors allege that Mitsunaga & Associates employees conspired to bribe then-Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Keith Kaneshiro with campaign donations in exchange for Kaneshiro's prosecution of a former company employee.
The indictment alleges that the CEO and the four employees contributed more than $45,000 to Kaneshiro’s reelection campaigns between October 2012 and October 2016.
Kaneshiro’s defense attorney, Birney Bervar, called the argument speculation, saying Kaneshiro didn't need the money because his campaigns had a surplus.
All six defendants have pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the City and County of Honolulu and one count of conspiracy to intimidate the former employee, Laurel Mau, to prevent her from exercising her rights by filing a civil rights lawsuit against the firm.
The first count carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison; the second count 10 years.
The jury will begin deliberating after attorneys for each defendant present a closing argument.
The defendants are Kaneshiro, Mitsunaga & Associates CEO Dennis Mitsunaga, Aaron Fujii, Chad McDonald, Terri Ann Otani, and former firm attorney Sheri Tanaka.
U.S. Senior District Judge Timothy Burgess of Alaska has been presiding over the case after the unexpected recusal of Judge Michael Seabright in January.
