In a trial concerning an Oahu man accused of sexually assaulting a woman and causing her life-threatening injuries, both the prosecution and defense have presented opposing versions of the event.
On Tuesday, the trial for Michael Hirokawa, a 34-year-old man who has been charged with attempted murder, sexual assault, and kidnapping, entered its second day.
According to reports, a woman has accused Hirokawa of attacking her in his Capitol Place condo three years ago. However, Hirokawa has countered the accusation by claiming that the woman drugged him.
According to Attorney Megan Kau, the credibility of both the defendant and the woman will play a crucial role in the jury’s decision.
According to the speaker, the defense that the defendant was drugged and beaten up by the woman is considered outrageous. According to Kau, if the defendant’s testimony is believed by the jury, there is a chance that he may be acquitted of the charge of attempted murder.
According to Attorney Doug Chin, in cases such as this, jurors frequently alter their stance during the trial as they are exposed to additional evidence.
According to the prosecution, the woman has suffered extensive injuries as a result of the incident. According to the defense, Hirokawa’s alleged drugging resulted in his limited recollection of the incident and a perceived threat to his own life.
Hirokawa, who posted a bail of $500,000, is currently under house arrest. According to Kau, house arrest is an uncommon measure in such cases, as the majority of defendants are unable to post bail and are therefore detained in jail.
The individual expressed their opinion that it is unjust for the government to attempt to raise the bail amount after the fact, stating, “It’s not fair for the government to come back and say, ‘Oh, well, now we’re going to try to increase his bail.'” ” ‘That’s not fair,’ exclaimed Kau,” the reporter reported.
According to Chin, judges usually aim to prevent jurors from being aware of a defendant’s bail and confinement status in order to avoid any potential impact on their verdict.
According to Doug, it is undesirable for the defense attorney to argue that the client’s house arrest indicates a lack of danger. He stated, “What you don’t want to have is the defense attorney saying, ‘Hey, you know, my client has been under house arrest all this time so it just shows that he must not have been very dangerous if that’s the case.'”
Hirokawa faces the possibility of a life sentence if found guilty.
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