Attorney for Kealohas takes duo’s summonses

An attorney for former Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha and his wife, Deputy Prosecutor Katherine Kealoha, has accepted legal papers on a lawsuit filed against the two by a relative who claims they and several Honolulu police officers violated his civil rights.

Documents filed in U.S. District Court show attorney Kevin Sumida accepted summonses for both Kealohas at his downtown office Thursday.

Attorney Eric Seitz, who represents Gerard Puana, on Friday withdrew his request to U.S. Magistrate Kevin Chang seeking an extension of time to serve the papers to the Kealohas as well as permission to serve them through general publication.

Sumida had agreed to accept the papers on the Kealohas’ behalf, Seitz said in his Friday filing.

In his request to Chang earlier this week, Seitz said his process server had been unable to serve either of the Kealohas.

The lawsuit alleges the Kealohas and others used their positions to diminish the reputation of Puana, who is Katherine Kealoha’s uncle, to discredit his standing in an ongoing financial dispute. Among the allegations made by Puana was that he was wrongfully arrested and prosecuted in the theft of the couple’s mailbox from outside their Kahala home. Charges in the mailbox case were dismissed after a mistrial.