Murderer who was given 150 years still behind bars

Question: Has Kirk Lankford, who was convicted of killing Masumi Watanabe, been released from prison?

Answer: No.

It will be a long time before he is released from prison for the 2007 murder of Watanabe, a Japanese national, whose body has never been found.

Exactly how long is still to be determined.

Lankford is being held at Saguaro Correctional Center in Arizona.

In 2009 the Hawaii Paroling Authority set his minimum sentence at 150 years, the second-longest term given in the state.

(The longest is the 235-year minimum term given to Byran Uyesugi, who shot and killed seven co-workers at Xerox Hawaii in 1999.)

However, it was reported that because the paroling authority failed to follow proper procedure — it did not provide a written justification for the extended sentence — it will hold another hearing on setting a minimum sentence for Lankford.

That hearing is scheduled for September, according to a spokeswoman for the paroling authority.

At that time the city prosecutor’s office "will ask the parole board to exercise its discretion and reaffirm the 150-year minimum" sentence, said spokesman Dave Koga.

He said Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro previously indicated that a minimum date does not guarantee parole and Lankford does not deserve release.

"Lankford has never indicated remorse for murdering Masumi Watanabe and continues to deny her family any kind of closure by refusing to say where her remains can be found," Koga said.

Question: Residents of the Makiki/Punchbowl neighborhood, which has many more cars than parking spaces, have been parking in an area directly across the intersection of Magazine and Prospect streets near a bus stop for more than the 35 years I’ve been here. However, now we are being tagged by a police officer during the wee hours for "parking on the sidewalk." This is not the case. There is an asphalt sidewalk, and the tagged vehicles are well clear of it. Approximately five cars park here every night. They do not block pedestrians, visibility for cars exiting driveways, pickup of passengers waiting for TheBus or anything else. Occasionally, a car will block the sidewalk and should be tagged. These tickets carry a $35 fine. Why can’t police leave this area alone as long as cars are not on the sidewalk?

Answer: Be forewarned: The Honolulu Police Department isn’t saying it will stop issuing citations in that area.

"Parking in this area is an ongoing problem, and our officers conduct enforcement to address safety concerns and complaints from residents,"HPD spokeswoman Michelle Yu said in response to your complaint.

You provided a photo showing a ticketed car parked in the unimproved area above the asphalt sidewalk.

We provided the photo to Yu, who cited Section 14-20.1 of the Revised Ordinances of Honolulu, which says a sidewalk refers to the "portion of a street between a curb line or the pavement of a roadway, and the adjacent property line intended for the use of pedestrians, including any setback area acquired by the city for road widening purposes."

"In this case, the area between the property line and street, including the paved and dirt areas, make up the sidewalk," she said.

She said anyone issued a ticket has the option of going to court to contest the citation, which you said you planned to do.

Auwe

To the man and woman in a greenish pickup truck who stopped at a neighborhood park on a Friday afternoon last month, opened a cage to release four black pinscher dogs, then immediately drove off. How inhumane could you be? Shame on you! — Anonymous

We’re told a group of neighbors, and a mail carrier, did rescue all four dogs, who were taken to the Hawaiian Humane Society.

The HHS does not release information on the disposition of an animal unless the person who found it has requested adoption if unclaimed, said spokeswoman Jacque Vaughn. "All friendly and healthy dogs are made available for adoption."

Write to “Kokua Line” at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.