Large jury pool expected for Hilario murder trial

LIHU‘E — A Tuesday status hearing in 5th Circuit Court started the ground work for a first-degree murder trial in September.

Vicente Kotekapika Hilario, the 25-year-old Anahola man accused of shooting and killing Kapa‘a resident Aureo Moore, 34, near Anahola Beach Park on Dec. 17, 2010, was present in court as attorneys began tying up loose ends before an expected four-week jury trial begins Sept. 17.

Hilario is charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, retaliating against a witness, intimidating a witness and bribery of a witness.

Chief Judge Randal Valenciano said that 100 potential jurors to appear on Sept. 17. He said at least 50 more may be notified to ensure an adequate number for the selection process.

County Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys Jake Delaplane and John Murphy appeared for the state.

Murphy asked about obtaining a report from the defense on the results of advanced powder residue testing that was performed in an Oregon laboratory.

Defense attorney Keith Shigetomi, speaking by phone from Honolulu, said the testing was complete but that no report was prepared. He said the defense would not be calling any Oregon lab technicians as expert witnesses in the trial.

The court approved Shigetomi’s $3,000 expense request in January for the Mainland lab for its advanced forensics capabilities.

He wanted a third-party reassessment of carbon residue on Hilario’s hand to see if it matched the handgun held in evidence.

The lab examined evidence, procedures of analysis and the process by which data was collected.

Valenciano directed the prosecution to subpoena expert witnesses should they deem it necessary once they receive the report.

Delaplane asked the court to direct the defense to provide interview transcripts that were still outstanding from a previous order.

Shigetomi said there are two additional tapes and that he would be prepared to address the issue at a hearing Friday.