LIHU‘E — The county Prosecuting Attorney’s Office dismissed charges in three separate cases Monday in Fifth Circuit Court before Judge Kathleen Watanabe. Vernon Ho appeared for what was to be his change of plea or trial date setting. Instead, Deputy
LIHU‘E — The county Prosecuting Attorney’s Office dismissed charges in three separate cases Monday in Fifth Circuit Court before Judge Kathleen Watanabe.
Vernon Ho appeared for what was to be his change of plea or trial date setting. Instead, Deputy County Prosecutor Rebecca Vogt announced that the state was dismissing the charges.
Ho, 42, of Waimea, was arrested for family or household member abuse on April 20 and released on bail. He was represented by State Public Defender John Calma.
In another matter, Allan Ioane Bactad Jr., 52, and Roberta Leilani Bactad, 54, of Waimea, were both defendants of separate cases with the same charges — six counts of firearms violations and third degree promotion of a detrimental drug.
The case had been in court since July 2010 and this was to be a status hearing. The two telephoned about car trouble to their attorneys Christopher Donahoe and Rosa Villongco Flores, who were in court to ask the judge to allow the two defendants to appear in person the following week.
It didn’t matter as Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Melinda Mendes said the state was dismissing all charges with prejudice.
Watanabe allowed the motion and with prejudice means that a new case on this matter may not be presented by the state.
