Matthew Blankswade, 21, accused of shooting to death Jeff Brisbois, 48, as he slept at his Wainiha home last June 26, has a court date after three state-appointed psychiatrists found him fit to stand trial. Kaua’i County chief deputy prosecutor
Matthew Blankswade, 21, accused of shooting to death Jeff Brisbois, 48, as he slept at his Wainiha home last June 26, has a court date after three state-appointed psychiatrists found him fit to stand trial.
Kaua’i County chief deputy prosecutor Craig De Costa said Monday that Fifth Circuit Court Judge George Masuoka has set the trial date far enough in the future “to give both sides time to prepare.”
Blankswade is slated to go to trial April 30 at the County Courthouse in Lihu’e. His trial date was originally set for July 25 last year, but postponements and competency hearings stretched out the time between the alleged offense and his day in court.
Blankswade is charged with second-degree murder with the use of a shotgun. Hawai’i has an enhancement statute which means, if convicted, he would receive mandatory extra jail time for the alleged use of a 12-gauge shotgun in the killing of his then-girlfriend’s father. Blankswade also faces multiple weapons violations for other firearms not used in the crime.
Blankswade has remained at Kaua’i Community Correctional Center for the past seven months since the fatal shooting.
He is represented by public defender Ed Acoba. De Costa, who has never handled a murder trial, will assist Prosecuting Attorney Mike Soong in the case.
De Costa had no comment when asked if plea bargain discussions were a consideration.
In a separate murder case, Howard I. Giddens, 27, who is accused of killing a Hanama’ulu neighbor last September and wounding another man, still hasn’t received a trial date. De Costa said mental health reports concerning Gidden’s fitness to stand trial have not been completed and returned to the court.
Giddens, who is incarcerated on Oahu, had his fitness hearing pushed back to Feb. 12.
A three-psychiatrist panel appointed by the court may, under state law, only decide if a defendant is fit for trial. A defendant’s mental state at the time the crime was committed is a question left to the jury.
Staff writer Dennis Wilken can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) and mailto:dwilken@pulitzer.net
