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DENNIS ODA / 2017
Former HPD chief Louis Kealoha and wife Katherine on South Street in Kakaako in 2017 after a court appearance. A federal judge this afternoon cancelled next month’s bank fraud trial for the Kealohas due to an illness Katherine Kealoha suffers from, but has not disclosed.
A federal judge this afternoon delayed the start of next month’s bank fraud trial of retired Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha and his wife, former deputy prosecutor Katherine Kealoha.
Based on a review of Katherine Kealoha’s medical records, which were filed under seal by her lawyer, U.S. Magistrate Judge Richard L. Puglisi found that Kealoha will not be able to attend the trial scheduled for Nov. 14 or assist in her defense.
Puglisi scheduled a hearing with all of the lawyers on Thursday to decide a new trial date. He suggested Feb. 26.
The delay will also likely affect the Kealohas’ trial with four former members of the Honolulu Police Department’s elite Criminal Intelligence Unit on charges that they framed Katherine Kealoha’s uncle with stealing the Kealohas’ mailbox then lied about it to federal investigators. That trial is scheduled for March 19.
Puglisi also ordered deleted from the record the government’s response to Katherine Kealoha’s request to postpone the November trial. Federal prosecutors had accused Kealoha of “feigning serious illness” to avoid taking responsibility for her actions. Puglisi said the response was irrelevant, immaterial and full of hyperbole.
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