LIHU‘E — Looking relaxed and dapper in his ironed, long-sleeve shirt and tie, Le Beau Lagmay strolled the hallways outside 5th Circuit Judge Kathleen Watanabe’s courtroom at the state courthouse Monday morning. He was awaiting the start of his jury
LIHU‘E — Looking relaxed and dapper in his ironed, long-sleeve shirt and tie, Le Beau Lagmay strolled the hallways outside 5th Circuit Judge Kathleen Watanabe’s courtroom at the state courthouse Monday morning.
He was awaiting the start of his jury trial on a misdemeanor, third-degree assault charge. Jury selection was scheduled to begin at or shortly after 9 a.m., with the trial commencing after selection of the jury. Attorney Dan Hempey is representing Lagmay in this case.
Lagmay pleaded not guilty to the charge in August. Jury trials were continued in November and February, court records show.
He is priority No. 1 for a jury-trial call now scheduled for June 1 before 5th Circuit Judge Randal Valenciano, wherein Lagmay faces more-serious charges including three counts of first-degree terroristic threatening, a class C felony.
Lagmay has pleaded not guilty in that case too, and is represented by Edmund Acoba, state deputy public defender.
John Murphy, county deputy prosecuting attorney, represents the state.
Lagmay was originally charged with 18 crimes (11 of them first-degree terroristic threatening), but the number of charges was reduced to six when Lagmay’s case was brought before 5th District Judge Trudy Senda during Lagmay’s preliminary hearing.
The remaining charges include three counts of first-degree terroristic threatening, resisting arrest, operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of an intoxicant (liquor), and having an open liquor container in a vehicle while operating it. A charge of highway racing was dismissed.
Lagmay was reportedly Tasered three times by Kaua‘i Police officer Eric Caspillo during Lagmay’s arrest in the Wilcox Memorial Hospital parking lot in late November. Lagmay, now out on bail, allegedly threatened to kill three KPD officers involved in his arrest.
During a court appearance in the multi-count case April 12, Lagmay was present in the gallery with girlfriend Melinda Nicole Sagum, daughter of state Rep. Roland Sagum, D-Po‘ipu-Waimea-Ni‘ihau.
Melinda Sagum has been subpoenaed as a prosecution witness in the case, and ordered by Valenciano to return to court for the scheduled June 1 jury trial.
She was due a witness-appearance fee for her April 12 presence, Valenciano said.
The judge asked attorneys in the case if they would be ready to proceed with the trial this week, but Acoba said he had not subpoenaed his witnesses as the Lagmay case was the fourth priority for jury trials before Valenciano last week.
Acoba asked for a May trial date, but due to attorney or court conflicts the next available jury-trial-start date is June 1, after the May 31 Memorial Day holiday.
Visit the state court Web site, http://hookihi2.courts.state.hi.us, for more information.
• Paul C. Curtis, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or pcurtis@kauaipubco.com.
