Man, 18, pleads not guilty to murder in Waikiki stabbing
COURTESY HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
Lionel J. Winebush.
An 18-year-old man accused of fatally stabbing Tony Taki, 21, on Dec. 6 in Waikiki was arraigned today in Circuit Court.
Lionel Winebush pleaded not guilty to the charge of second-degree murder before Judge Christine Kuriyama, and requested a jury trial.
She confirmed his bail at $750,000, despite his lawyer’s request for a reduction in the bail amount to $250,000.
His trial is set for the week of Feb. 20 before Judge Paul Wong.
Court documents reveal 11 males including Winebush met at Tantalus 2 a.m. Dec. 6 and drove to Waikiki to retaliate against another group of males for using machetes in a previous confrontation to chase one of Winebush’s group.
The 2:45 a.m. Dec. 6 attack occurred near a bus stop fronting the Royal Kuhio Hotel, where Taki and his group were sitting in a grassy area drinking.
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Police said surveillance footage showed Taki being punched and assaulted with a bat by other male suspects, and Winebush was seen allegedly making a stabbing motion at his torso.
Winebush, who appeared by video teleconferencing, was represented by Deputy Public Defender Okechukwu Amadi, who also represents other defendants in the case, who are also in custody.
Deputy Public Defender Justine Chmielewski, who made an appearance, represented defendants who are not in custody.
