LIHU‘E — It was back to the Kaua‘i Police Department cellblock Monday morning for Lii Kaimana Cook after his scheduled arraignment and plea in two cases didn’t take place due to a temporary lack of legal representation. Cook, 25, of
LIHU‘E — It was back to the Kaua‘i Police Department cellblock Monday morning for Lii Kaimana Cook after his scheduled arraignment and plea in two cases didn’t take place due to a temporary lack of legal representation.
Cook, 25, of Kapa‘a, is now scheduled for arraignment and plea at 8 a.m. today before 5th District Judge Randal Valenciano in a burglary and theft case, and a second case wherein Cook is charged with unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle, second-degree theft and credit-card theft.
Former Prosecuting Attorney Craig De Costa, now in private practice, will represent Cook in both cases, the first case also involving co-defendants Chelsie Banasihan, 21, of Waimea, and Brad Kubisch, 24, of Koloa.
De Costa was unable to be in court during Cook’s arraignment, so Cook stood alone for a short while after state deputy public defender John Calma said Cook qualifies for public-defender services under income guidelines but that public defenders representing Cook’s co-defendants in the first case of burglary and theft cannot also represent Cook.
Cook, Kubisch and Banasihan are believed by Kaua‘i Police Department officers to be partners in a string of property crimes in Koloa, Po‘ipu and Wailua Homesteads.
Kubisch and Banasihan have pleaded not guilty to burglary and theft charges in connection with a break-in at a Wailua Homesteads residence just before Christmas 2009, allegedly with Cook, and have a jury trial scheduled for Feb. 22.
Valenciano told De Costa, appearing later via telephone, that Valenciano would like to schedule Cook’s cases for trial Feb. 22 as well if Cook decides to plead not guilty and request a jury trial.
Valenciano told De Costa that Cook would spend Monday night in KPD cellblock after his Saturday arrest and Monday court appearance, before today’s scheduled appearance.
Kubisch also appeared in Valenciano’s court Monday morning.
Kubisch and Kimo Nardin are both charged with identity theft, other theft and attempted theft charges, credit-card theft and credit-card fraud, in another case now set for jury trial March 1.
Attorney Warren Perry, standing in for attorney Caren Dennemeyer, who represents Kubisch, asked for a continuance of Monday’s scheduled jury trial so that plea-bargaining may continue in the case.
Calma, standing in for state deputy public defender Edmund Acoba, also asked for a continuance.
John Murphy, deputy prosecuting attorney, had no objection.
• Paul C. Curtis, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or pcurtis@kauaipubco.com.
