| Video recording expert Norman Nichols said in court he has been contacted to look at a surveillance video of an assault in a nightclub but did not know to which case it was connected. Nichols did not say he was hired to examine video from the M Nightclub that may have recorded the alleged assault of Washington Redskins player Trent Williams Jan. 25, as reported below. |
Surveillance cameras at a Waterfront Plaza nightclub in Kakaako may have recorded the alleged assault of Washington Redskins player Trent Williams Jan. 25 that caused the NFL All-Pro tackle to miss playing in Sunday’s Pro Bowl.
During testimony in an unrelated case in state court Thursday, audio and video recording expert Norman Nichols said that the city Department of the Prosecuting Attorney has hired him to examine surveillance video from the M Nightclub.
Representatives from the city prosecutor and Police Department declined comment on whether there is video of the Williams incident because the investigation is as yet incomplete.
Nichols was testifying in the murder solicitation trial of document courier Anthony Mark Albert. He had been hired by the prosecutor to enhance the audio and visual recordings of conversations between Albert and an undercover police officer posing as a hit man.
In discussing his expertise, Nichols said his experience in the field of audio and video recording enhancement includes work in a Family Court case involving bounty hunter Duane "Dog" Chapman and in the murder case of State Department Special Agent Christopher Deedy. He said he has also done work for neighbor island police departments, the FBI and the National Transportation Safety Board.
He also said has been hired in the M Nightclub case.
Police arrested Michael Miske Jr., a part owner of the nightclub, Saturday in connection with the Williams incident and charged him with felony second-degree assault the next day. Police said Miske hit Williams on the head with a dangerous instrument.
Williams suffered a cut on his head requiring multiple stitches. He did not suit up for the Pro Bowl, but was on the sidelines during the game.
Miske, 38, is free on $250,000 bail. He is scheduled to appear in state court Monday for arraignment.
His lawyer, Thomas Otake, said "certain NFL players" at the club were "unruly, rude and disrespectful to the female waitresses and other customers." He said club management and security asked the football players to leave after "certain players became physically aggressive and started a fight."
Otake would not identify the players.
He said, "Club personnel and security did their best to protect staff, customers and themselves."
An NFL spokesman declined to respond to Otake’s comment, deferring questions to police.
Police also arrested and charged two other men — Michael Buntendah, 40, of Kaneohe and John Blane Kenui Stancil, 25, of Waimanalo — in connection with the incident.
Buntendah was arrested for misdemeanor third-degree assault early Jan. 25 at Waterfront Plaza, and Stancil was arrested Monday on two counts of misdemeanor assault. Police released Buntendah after he posted $150 bail and released Stancil after he posted $200 bail.
Buntendah is scheduled to appear in Honolulu District Court on Feb. 21. Stancil’s court appearance is Feb. 25.
An owner of the club declined to say whether Buntendah and Stancil are nightclub employees.
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Star-Advertiser reporter Gregg K. Kakesako contributed to this report.
