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A state judge approved today a request by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser and two other news organizations to oppose a bid by city prosecutors to keep confidential court filings submitted by a State Department special agent charged with a shooting murder at a Waikiki McDonald’s restaurant last year.
Circuit Judge Karen Ahn granted the request over objections by city Deputy Prosecutor Janice Futa.
Ahn is scheduled to hear on Thursday the prosecutor’s request to seal the defense filings.
Hawaii News Now — the Star-Advertiser’s TV news partner — and the online news site Hawaii Reporter joined the newspaper in its request.
Christopher Deedy, 28, who was here to provide security for leaders at the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference, is charged with murdering Kollin Elderts in the shooting at the McDonald’s Kuhio Avenue restaurant the early morning of Nov. 5.
HIs lawyers have asked that the charge be dismissed on grounds that he is immune from state prosecution because he was performing his duties as a federal law enforcement order.
Exhibits that include McDonald’s surveillance tapes of the shooting scene were filed in support of the dismissal motion.
City prosecutors have said news coverage on the filings could taint potential jurors and hamper the court proceedings.
Deedy’s trial is scheduled for September.
