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NO. CAAP-18-0000599

IN THE INTERMEDIATE COURT OF APPEALS

OF THE STATE OF HAWAI#I

STATE OF HAWAI#I,

Plaintiff-Appellee,

v.

SUSAN E. SHAW,

Defendant-Appellant

APPEAL FROM THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIRST CIRCUIT

(CRIMINAL NO. 1CPC-17-0001118)

MEMORANDUM OPINION

(By: Ginoza, Chief Judge, Chan and Wadsworth, JJ.)

Defendant-Appellant Susan E. Shaw (Shaw) appeals from

the Judgment of Conviction and Sentence (Judgment), entered on

July 11, 2018, in the Circuit Court of the First Circuit (circuit

court).1 Plaintiff-Appellee State of Hawai#i (State) charged

Shaw by indictment with one count of Computer Fraud in the Third

Degree (Computer Fraud 3), in violation of Hawaii Revised

Statutes (HRS) § 708-891.6 (2014),2 and one count of Fraudulent

1 The Honorable Fa'auuga L. To'oto'o presided.

2 HRS § 708-891.6 provides:

[§708-891.6] Computer fraud in the third degree. (1) A

person commits the offense of computer fraud in the third

degree if the person knowingly accesses a computer, computer

system, or computer network with the intent to commit the

offense of theft in the third or fourth degree.

Electronically Filed

Intermediate Court of Appeals

CAAP-18-0000599

15-MAY-2020

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Use of a Credit Card (Credit Card Fraud), in violation of HRS

§ 708-8100(1)(c) (2014).3 The Judgment reflects that Shaw was

ultimately convicted of both counts as charged.

As explained below, we conclude that the plain language

of HRS § 708-8100(2) does not allow the offense of Credit Card

Fraud to be prosecuted as a class C felony based on an

aggregation of the values of multiple transactions involving more

than one credit card or credit card number. Shaw's conviction

for Credit Card Fraud in Count II must therefore be vacated and

(2) Computer fraud in the third degree is a class C

felony.

The offense of Theft in the Third Degree (Theft 3) is defined by HRS

§ 708-832 (Supp. 2016), which provides, in relevant part:

§708-832 Theft in the third degree. (1) A person

commits the offense of theft in the third degree if the person

commits theft:

(a) Of property or services the value of which exceeds

$250[.]

HRS § 708-830 (2014) provides, in relevant part: "A person commits

theft if the person . . . : (1) Obtains or exerts unauthorized control over

property. A person obtains or exerts unauthorized control over the property of

another with intent to deprive the other of the property."

3 HRS § 708-8100 provides, in relevant part:

§708-8100 Fraudulent use of a credit card. (1) A

person commits the offense of fraudulent use of a credit card,

if with intent to defraud the issuer, or another person or

organization providing money, goods, services, or anything

else of value, or any other person, the person:

. . .

(c) Uses or attempts or conspires to use a credit card

number without the consent of the cardholder for

the purpose of obtaining money, goods, services,

or anything else of value.

(2) Fraudulent use of a credit card is a class C felony

if the value of all money, goods, services, and other things

of value obtained or attempted to be obtained exceeds $300 in

any six-month period. For purposes of this section, each

separate use of a credit card that exceeds $300 constitutes a

separate offense.

(3) Fraudulent use of a credit card is a misdemeanor, if

the value of all money, goods, services, and other things of

value obtained or attempted to be obtained does not exceed

$300 in any six-month period.

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the circuit court erred in failing to dismiss Count II for lack

of sufficient evidence to establish probable cause. We further

conclude that, under the post-conviction liberal construction

standard, the Indictment sufficiently charged Shaw in Count I

with Computer Fraud 3 based on an aggregation of the values of

multiple transactions involving multiple credit cards, even

without expressly alleging that Shaw engaged in a scheme or

course of conduct. However, the circuit court erred in failing

to submit to the jury the factual question of whether the

evidence disclosed one general intent or separate and distinct

intents. Accordingly, this case must be remanded for a new trial

on Count I.

I. BACKGROUND

A. Charges

The charges arise from allegations that, over the

course of four months between January 16, 2017, through and

including May 18, 2017, Shaw falsely inflated the tip amounts of

105 customers' bills at Square Barrels, the restaurant where Shaw

worked as a server.4 Over the course of the four months, Shaw

was alleged to have falsely inflated tips totaling over $700.

On August 15, 2017, the State charged Shaw by

Indictment, as follows:

COUNT I: On or about January 16, 2017, through and

including May 18, 2017, in the City and County of Honolulu,

State of Hawaii, Susan E. Shaw, did knowingly access a

computer, computer system, or computer network with the

intent to commit the offense of theft in the third degree,

thereby committing the offense of Computer Fraud in the

Third Degree in violation of Section 708-891.6 of the Hawaii

Revised Statutes.

A person commits the offense of theft in the third

degree if she intentionally obtains and exerts unauthorized

control over property of another, the value of which exceeds

Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars ($250.00), with intent to

deprive the other of property valued in excess of Two

Hundred and Fifty Dollars ($250.00). Sections 708-832(1)(a)

and 708-830(1) of the Hawaii Revised Statutes. (HPD Report

Number 17189819-002). Count I relates to the access and use

4 The terms "server" and "waitress" are used interchangeably to

reflect their usage during the proceedings.

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of a computer, to wit a "point of sale computer terminal",

with intent [to] commit theft of money valued in excess of

$250.00, and the defendant did, in fact, so obtain money

valued in excess of $250.00.

COUNT II: On or about January 16, 2017, through and

including May 18, 2017, in the City and County of Honolulu,

State of Hawaii, Susan E. Shaw, with intent to defraud the

issuer, or another person or organization providing money,

services, or anything of value, or any other person, did use

credit card numbers without the consent of the cardholders

for [the] purpose of obtaining money, or anything else of

value, and the value of all money and other things of value

so obtained exceeded Three Hundred Dollars ($300.00) in any

six-month period, thereby committing the offense of

Fraudulent Use of Credit Card, in violation of Sections 708-

8100(1)(c) of the Hawaii Revised Statutes. (HPD Report

Number 17-189819-003). Count II relates to the use of

credit card numbers, without the cardholders' consent, for

the purpose of obtaining money valued in excess of $300.00

during the time period specified herein, a period of less

than six months, and the defendant did, in fact, so obtain

money valued in excess of $300.00.

B. Pre-Trial Motion to Dismiss

On November 3, 2017, Shaw filed "Defendant's Motion to

Dismiss with Prejudice" (Motion to Dismiss), arguing that the

State failed to adduce sufficient evidence to establish probable

cause for either of the two counts at the grand jury proceedings.

As to Count I, the Computer Fraud 3 charge, Shaw argued that the

State failed to adduce sufficient evidence: (1) that Shaw used a

computer to steal more than $250 from a single victim; (2) that

the device Shaw used to process the tips was a "computer," as

defined by HRS § 708-890 (2014); and (3) that Shaw lacked

authorization. As to Count II, the Credit Card Fraud charge,

Shaw argued that the State failed to adduce sufficient evidence:

(1) that Shaw used a single credit card number without the

cardholder's consent to defraud the bank that issued the card of

more than $300; and (2) establishing lack of consent from the

cardholders. Shaw also argued that the State failed to adduce

evidence that Shaw acted pursuant to a single scheme or course of

conduct. As the basis for these arguments, Shaw argued that

Computer Fraud 3 could only be prosecuted based on a single

victim of theft and Credit Card Fraud could only be prosecuted

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based on the use of a single credit card or credit card number

and a single credit card victim.

The circuit court held a hearing on November 22, 2017,

at which it orally denied the motion, finding that "there was

overwhelming evidence to support the indictment against the

defendant based on [witness testimony] and the exhibits presented

to the grand jury." The circuit court subsequently filed its

written Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law, and Order Denying

Defendant's Motion to Dismiss with Prejudice on December 15,

2017.

C. Trial

At trial, the State called three witnesses: Anastasia

Bryant (Bryant)5, Chris Duque (Duque), and Thomas Ray (Ray).

Bryant testified that she was a customer at Square Barrels on

May 9, 2017. She identified Shaw as her server. After

discovering that the credit card she used to pay for her bill was

charged $10 more than the amount she had written on her copy of

the receipt, Bryant reported the discrepancy to Square Barrels

management. Duque was an investigator with the Honolulu

Prosecutor's office who testified as an expert in the areas of

computer forensics as well as computer identification and

examination. Duque testified about his examination of the

restaurant's computer system and network as part of the State's

investigation into this case. Ray was the co-owner of Square

Barrels. Ray testified about Shaw's employment and the nature of

the restaurant's operations. Ray also testified about the

internal audit he and his business partner conducted of every

employee's server accountability reports, spurred by Bryant's

report of the discrepancy with her transaction.

Shaw was the only witness for the defense.

The circuit court's instructions to the jury included,

inter alia, instructions on the elements of Computer Fraud 3 and

5 Bryant was formerly known as Anastasia Vidinha.

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Credit Card Fraud, and an instruction on the definition of an

"inference" and its use with regard to determining lack of

consent.

The jury found Shaw guilty as charged in both counts.

At the sentencing hearing, the State asserted that the two counts

merged and, as such, requested that the circuit court only

proceed in sentencing on the count for Computer Fraud 3 and take

no further action on the count for Credit Card Fraud. Defense

counsel agreed that the two counts merged. Despite both parties

conceding that the two counts merged, neither party requested a

dismissal of Count II, nor did the circuit court enter such an

order.

The circuit court entered its Judgment on July 11,

2018. The Judgment provided:

DEFENDANT IS CONVICTED AND FOUND GUILTY OF:

CT. 1: COMPUTER FRAUD IN THE THIRD DEGREE

CT. 2: FRAUDULENT USE OF CREDIT CARD

FINAL JUDGMENT AND SENTENCE OF THE COURT:

COUNT 1: IMPRISONMENT TERM OF FIVE (5) YEARS to run

concurrent with any other term now serving; Mittimus to

issue forthwith;

MONETARY ASSESSMENT OF $500.00 OR THE ACTUAL COST OF

THE DNA ANALYSIS, WHICHEVER IS LESS TO THE DNA

REGISTRY SPECIAL FUND;

PROVIDE BUCCAL SWAB SAMPLES AND PRINT IMPRESSIONS OF

EACH HAND, AND IF REQUIRED BY THE COLLECTING AGENCY'S

RULES OR INTERNAL REGULATIONS BLOOD SPECIMENS REQUIRED

FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT IDENTIFICATION ANALYSIS.

COUNT 2: STATE REQUESTED TO TAKE NO FURTHER ACTION;

GRANTED BY THE COURT.

II. POINTS OF ERROR

On appeal, Shaw raises six points of error: (1) the

Indictment was fatally defective for failing to allege that Shaw

acted pursuant to a scheme or continuing course of conduct; (2)

the circuit court erred in denying Shaw's Motion to Dismiss with

Prejudice; (3) the circuit court failed to properly instruct the

jury; (4) there was insufficient evidence to sustain Shaw's

convictions; (5) the circuit court erred in admitting unsworn

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hearsay evidence; and (6) the circuit court's evidentiary errors

individually and cumulatively violated Shaw's rights to due

process and a fair trial.

III. STANDARDS OF REVIEW

A. Sufficiency of the Indictment

"Whether a charge sets forth all the essential elements

of a charged offense . . . is a question of law, which we review

under the de novo, or right/wrong, standard." State v. Mita, 124

Hawai#i 385, 389, 245 P.3d 458, 462 (2010) (citation, internal

quotation marks, and brackets omitted).

B. Motion to Dismiss Indictment

We review de novo a circuit court's order denying a

motion to dismiss an indictment based on sufficiency of the

evidence to support the indictment. State v. Taylor, 126 Hawai#i

205, 215, 269 P.3d 740, 750 (2011).

In reviewing the sufficiency of the evidence to establish

probable cause before the grand jury, every legitimate

inference that may be drawn from the evidence must be drawn

in favor of the indictment and neither the trial court nor

the appellate court on review may substitute its judgment as

to the weight of the evidence for that of the Grand Jury.

The evidence to support an indictment need not be sufficient

to support a conviction.

Id. (quoting State v. Ganal, 81 Hawai#i 358, 367, 917 P.2d 370,

379 (1996)).

C. Jury Instructions

When jury instructions are at issue on appeal, the

standard of review is whether, when read and considered as a

whole, the instructions given are prejudicially insufficient,

erroneous, inconsistent, or misleading. State v. Metcalfe, 129

Hawai#i 206, 222, 297 P.3d 1062, 1078 (2013) (citation omitted).

"Erroneous instructions are presumptively harmful and are a

ground for reversal unless it affirmatively appears from the

record as a whole that the error was not prejudicial." Id.

(citation omitted); see also State v. Nichols, 111 Hawai#i 327,

337, 141 P.3d 974, 984 (2006) ("[O]nce instructional error is

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demonstrated, we will vacate, without regard to whether timely

objection was made, if there is a reasonable possibility that the

error contributed to the defendant's conviction[.]").

D. Sufficiency of Evidence

In reviewing the sufficiency of the evidence, we must

view the evidence in the light most favorable to the State.

State v. Ildefonso, 72 Haw. 573, 576, 827 P.2d 648, 651 (1992).

"The test on appeal is not whether guilt [was] established beyond

a reasonable doubt, but whether there was substantial evidence to

support the conclusion of the trier of fact." State v. Eastman,

81 Hawai#i 131, 135, 913 P.2d 57, 61 (1996). "'Substantial

evidence' . . . is credible evidence which is of sufficient

quality and probative value to enable a man of reasonable caution

to reach a conclusion." State v. Naeole, 62 Haw. 563, 565, 617

P.2d 820, 823 (1980).

E. Admissibility of Evidence

[D]ifferent standards of review must be applied to trial

court decisions regarding the admissibility of evidence,

depending on the requirements of the particular rule of

evidence at issue. When application of a particular

evidentiary rule can yield only one correct result, the

proper standard for appellate review is the right/wrong

standard. However, the traditional abuse of discretion

standard should be applied in the case of those rules of

evidence that require a "judgment call" on the part of the

trial court.

Kealoha v. Cty. of Hawaii, 74 Haw. 308, 319, 844 P.2d 670, 676

(1993).

IV. DISCUSSION

A. Sufficiency of the Indictment

Shaw argues that, where the Computer Fraud 3 and Credit

Card Fraud charges were based on an aggregation of multiple

transactions pursuant to HRS § 708-801(6),6 the State was

required to allege in the Indictment that Shaw intentionally

6 HRS § 708-801(6) (2014) provides, in relevant part: "Amounts

involved in thefts committed pursuant to one scheme or course of conduct, whether

the property taken be of one person or several persons, may be aggregated in

determining the class or grade of the offense." (Emphasis added.)

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engaged in a scheme or criminal course of conduct to commit theft

and credit card fraud. Shaw contends that a scheme or course of

conduct was an essential fact or required element of the charges

and its inclusion in the Indictment was required to provide Shaw

with adequate notice and to fully inform Shaw of the nature and

cause of the charges brought against her. Thus, Shaw argues that

the failure to allege a scheme or course of conduct caused the

Indictment to be fatally defective. Shaw argues that the State's

aggregation of 105 separate credit card transactions and failure

to allege a scheme or course of conduct violated her right to due

process, as it relieved the State of its burden to call 105

witnesses and deprived Shaw of her right to confront the 105

witnesses.

Shaw concedes that she challenges the sufficiency of

the Indictment for the first time on appeal. As such, we apply

the Motta7/Wells8 post-conviction liberal construction rule:

Under the Motta/Wells post-conviction liberal construction

rule, we liberally construe charges challenged for the first

time on appeal. Under this approach, there is a presumption

of validity for charges challenged subsequent to a

conviction. In those circumstances, this court will not

reverse a conviction based upon a defective indictment or

complaint unless the defendant can show prejudice or that

the indictment or complaint cannot within reason be

construed to charge a crime.

State v. Wheeler, 121 Hawai#i 383, 399-400, 219 P.3d 1170, 1186-

87 (2009) (citations, internal quotation marks, and brackets

omitted).

1. Count I (Computer Fraud 3) was legally sufficient under

the Motta/Wells Rule.

We first look at whether Count I can be reasonably

construed to charge the offense of Computer Fraud 3. "A

complaint, for example, cannot reasonably be construed to charge

an offense if it omits an element of the offense or when the

7 State v. Motta, 66 Haw. 89, 657 P.2d 1019 (1983).

8 State v. Wells, 78 Hawai#i 373, 894 P.2d 70 (1995).

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common definition of an element of an offense set forth in the

charge does not comport with its statutory definition." State v.

Baker, No. SCWC-18-0000454, 2020 WL 1228443, at *7 (Haw. Mar. 13,

2020) (citing State v. Pacquing, 139 Hawai#i 302, 308, 389 P.3d

897, 903 (2016), and Wheeler, 121 Hawai#i at 394, 219 P.3d at

1181). The supreme court has recognized that "one 'way in which

an otherwise deficient count can be reasonably construed to

charge a crime is by examination of the charge as a whole.'" 

State v. Tominiko, 126 Hawai#i 68, 76, 266 P.3d 1122, 1130 (2011)

(quoting State v. Elliott, 77 Hawai#i 309, 312, 884 P.2d 372, 375

(1994)). "Under the liberal construction standard, two counts

can be read together." Id.

For Count I, the charge tracked the language of the

statute for Computer Fraud 3, HRS § 708-891.6. The charge also

included the statutory language for the underlying predicate

offense of Theft 3 from HRS § 708-832. Thus, on the basis that

all elements of the charge as defined by the respective statutes

are alleged in the Indictment, the charge for Computer Fraud 3 is

not defective. See State v. Treat, 67 Haw. 119, 120, 680 P.2d

250, 251 (1984) (holding that a theft in the first degree charge

was not defective where it tracked the statutory definition of

the offense because the charge alleged all of the statutory

elements of the offense).

Shaw challenges the State's reliance on HRS § 708-

801(6) to aggregate multiple instances of theft in charging Shaw

with Computer Fraud 3 and argues that even if the State's

reliance on HRS § 708-801(6) was proper, the State was required

to expressly allege that Shaw acted pursuant to a scheme or

course of conduct.

In State v. Yokota, 143 Hawai#i 200, 205-06, 426 P.3d

424, 429-30 (2018), the Hawai#i Supreme Court held that theft can

be charged as a continuing course of conduct and that the alleged

instances of theft can be aggregated under HRS § 708-801(6). In

that case, the circuit court dismissed the counts charging Yokota

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with Theft in the Second Degree and Identity Theft in the Second

Degree.9 Id. at 204, 426 P.3d at 428. Notably, the charges did

not include any express allegation of a scheme or course of

conduct. Nonetheless, the supreme court held that the circuit

court erred in determining that the State was barred from

charging theft as a continuing course of conduct and ultimately

affirmed this court's decision to vacate the circuit court's

order dismissing the Theft in the Second Degree and Identity

Theft in the Second Degree counts. Id. at 206-07, 426 P.3d at

430-31. The supreme court noted:

While Yokota does not argue on certiorari that the

[Intermediate Court of Appeals] erred in also reinstating

Count VIII (identity theft in the second degree), our

decision on whether the State could charge Yokota with theft

in the second degree directly affects the validity of the

identity theft in the second degree charge. A person can

only be charged with identity theft in the second degree if

that person makes or causes to be made a transmission of any

personal information of another, "with the intent to commit

the offense of theft in the second degree from any person or

entity." HRS § 708-839.7 (2014) (emphasis added).

Id. at 205 n.7, 426 P.3d at 429 n.7.

In Count I, Shaw was charged with Computer Fraud 3,

which requires an allegation that the charged individual

"knowingly accesse[d] a computer, computer system, or computer

9 The relevant charges were:

Count VI: Theft in the Second Degree, in violation of

HRS § 708-831(1)(b), where Yokota "did obtain or exert

unauthorized control over the property of [Kama] and/or [ASB],

the value of which exceeds Three Hundred Dollars ($300.00), by

deception, with intent to deprive [Kama] and/or [ASB] of the

property."

. . . .

Count VIII: Identity Theft in the Second Degree, in

violation of HRS § 708-839.7, where Yokota

did make or cause to be made, either directly or

indirectly, a transmission of any personal

information of [Kama] by any oral statement, any

written statement, or any statement conveyed by

electronic means, with the intent to commit the

offense of Theft in the Second Degree from [Kama]

and/or [ASB] . . . .

Id. at 202-03, 426 P.3d at 426-27 (footnotes omitted).

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network with the intent to commit the offense of theft in the

third or fourth degree." HRS § 708-891.6 (emphasis added).

Thus, because Computer Fraud 3 is predicated on theft in the

third or fourth degree, it follows that Computer Fraud 3 may also

be charged as a continuing course of conduct. Cf. Yokota, 143

Hawai#i at 205 n.7, 426 P.3d at 429 n.7. We therefore conclude

that the State was not barred from aggregating multiple alleged

instances of theft in charging Shaw with Computer Fraud 3. We

further conclude that, under the Motta/Wells rule, it was not

necessary to expressly allege in the Indictment that Shaw engaged

in a scheme or course of conduct. See id. at 202-03, 426 P.3d at

426-27.

Regardless, it is clear from reading the Indictment as

a whole that the State charged Shaw with Computer Fraud 3 on a

continuing course of conduct theory. Count I alleged that "[o]n

or about January 16, 2017, through and including May 18, 2017,"

Shaw "did knowingly access a computer, computer system, or

computer network with the intent to commit the offense of theft

in the third degree" and that "[a] person commits the offense of

theft in the third degree if she intentionally obtains and exerts

unauthorized control over property of another, the value of which

exceeds Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars ($250.00), with intent to

deprive the other of property valued in excess of Two Hundred and

Fifty Dollars ($250.00)." Count II identified the same fourmonth time period as Count I and alleged that Shaw "did use

credit card numbers without the consent of the cardholders

. . . ." It can be reasonably inferred, due to the references to

the same time period, that both charges are based on the same

underlying conduct. Although Count I did not expressly allege

that the conduct involved multiple victims and instances of

theft, when read in conjunction with Count II, the charge is

sufficient. See Tominiko, 126 Hawai#i at 76, 266 P.3d at 1130

(holding that, under the liberal construction standard, a charge

for Operating a Vehicle Under the Influence (OVUII) was not

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insufficient for failing to allege that the conduct occurred on a

public roadway where a separate count contained the necessary

allegation and both counts refer to operating a motor vehicle on

the same day in Honolulu, Hawai#i). The Indictment, when read as

a whole, apprised Shaw that she was being charged for multiple

thefts involving multiple credit card transactions. Shaw has not

shown that Count I cannot reasonably be construed to allege a

crime under the Motta/Wells rule.10

Having concluded that the Indictment can reasonably be

construed to charge the offense of Computer Fraud 3, we now turn

to whether Shaw has shown that she was prejudiced under the

Motta/Wells rule.

[I]n determining whether the accused's right to be informed

of the nature and cause of the accusation against him or her

has been violated, we must look to all of the information

supplied to him or her by the State to the point where the

court passes upon the contention that the right has been

violated.

State v. Hitchcock, 123 Hawai#i 369, 379, 235 P.3d 365, 375

(2010) (emphasis and original brackets omitted). Furthermore, "a

defendant's right to be informed of the nature and cause of the

accusation can be deemed satisfied if the record 'clearly

demonstrate[s] the defendant's actual knowledge' of the charges

against him or her." Id. (alteration in original) (quoting State

v. Israel, 78 Hawai#i 66, 71, 890 P.2d 303, 308 (1995)).

As Shaw only challenges the sufficiency of the

Indictment for the first time on appeal, we look to the record

below to determine whether Shaw's right to be informed of the

nature and cause of the accusations can be deemed satisfied. The

record reflects that, at the grand jury proceedings, the State

introduced exhibits that consisted of copies of the 105 credit

card receipts, as well as a spreadsheet that summarized the

10 We emphasize that, with the facts in this case, our analysis is

based on the liberal construction standard and we do not address whether an

analysis under the standard governing pre-conviction challenges to sufficiency of

charges would reach a different result.

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transactional details of the 105 credit card receipts. In a

Motion to Dismiss filed by Shaw, she refers to these documents as

appearing to be duplicates of what was produced in discovery,

indicating her receipt of the documents. Shaw also specifically

acknowledges and discusses the State's aggregation of the amounts

involved in multiple credit card transactions upon which the

charge was based. Thus, the record is clear that Shaw was fully

aware that the charge was based on aggregated amounts. We

therefore find no merit in Shaw's contention that she was not

provided adequate notice of the nature of the charge against her.

We also find no merit in Shaw's contention that she

suffered prejudice because the State was relieved of its burden

to call all 105 witnesses and Shaw was deprived of her right to

confront all 105 witnesses. The prosecution is not required to

call as witnesses all individuals who have knowledge of the

events disclosed by the evidence and pertaining to the offense

alleged to have been committed by the defendant. See State v.

Padilla, 114 Hawai#i 507, 516, 164 P.3d 765, 774 (App. 2007).

Indeed, the record reflects that the jury in this case was given

an instruction stating such, to which Shaw made no objection.11

The State therefore did not have a burden to call all 105

cardholders as witnesses and could instead rely on other

evidence.

Shaw has not shown that Count I cannot be construed to

charge Computer Fraud 3, or that she has suffered prejudice from

the State's failure to allege a scheme or course of conduct in

Count I. Therefore, under the liberal Motta/Wells rule, Shaw has

not shown that Count I was insufficient so as to warrant vacating

11 The jury instruction was based on Hawai#i Pattern Jury Instructions -

Criminal (HAWJIC) Instruction 3.12 (1991) and provided as follows:

The prosecution is not required to call as witnesses all

persons who may have been present at any of the events

disclosed by the evidence or who may appear to have some

knowledge of these events, or to produce all objects or

documents mentioned or suggested by the evidence.

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her conviction of Computer Fraud 3.

2. Count II (Credit Card Fraud) was legally insufficient.

For Count II, the charge appears to substantially track

the language of the statute for Credit Card Fraud, with one

notable difference -- the plain language of HRS § 708-8100(1)(c)

is written in the singular, indicating that the offense occurs

upon a defendant's fraudulent use of a single credit card, but

the State charged Shaw with Credit Card Fraud based on her use of

multiple credit cards. Under HRS § 708-8100(1)(c), a person

commits Credit Card Fraud if the person "[u]ses or attempts or

conspires to use a credit card number without the consent of the

cardholder for the purpose of obtaining money, goods, services,

or anything else of value." (Emphases added.) Here, the State

charged Shaw with "us[ing] credit card numbers without the

consent of the cardholders" (emphases added) to obtain money in

excess of $300 between January 16, 2017, and May 18, 2017. The

State met the $300 threshold to charge Shaw with Credit Card

Fraud as a class C felony12 by aggregating numerous transactions

involving multiple credit cards because none of the individual

transactions exceeded $300 in value.

Shaw argues that the State was not allowed to aggregate

the use of multiple credit cards in charging Shaw with Credit

Card Fraud. Shaw further argues that if such aggregation is

allowed, then pursuant to HRS § 708-801(6), the State was

required to allege a scheme or course of conduct in Count II to

provide Shaw with adequate notice and alert her of precisely what

she needed to defend against to avoid a conviction.

We first look to the plain language of HRS § 708-8100

in determining whether the offense of Credit Card Fraud can be

based on an aggregation of transactions involving multiple credit

cards. See State v. Demello, 136 Hawai#i 193, 195, 361 P.3d 420,

12 Credit Card Fraud is a class C felony "if the value of all money,

goods, services, and other things of value obtained or attempted to be obtained

exceeds $300 in any six-month period." HRS § 708-8100(2).

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422 (2015) ("The plain language of a statute is 'the fundamental

starting point of statutory interpretation.'"). The plain

language of HRS § 708-8100 is written in the singular, indicating

that the offense is committed based on the use of "a credit card"

or "a credit card number" "without the consent of the

cardholder." Further, subsection (2) expressly contemplates

aggregation of the value of the goods obtained through fraudulent

use by referring to "goods, services, and other things of value"

in the plural. HRS § 708-8100(2). In the following sentence, it

seems the legislature intentionally refers to "each separate use

of a credit card" that exceeds $300 as creating a separate

offense. Id. (emphasis added). Thus, the legislature carefully

distinguished between singular and plural forms in the same

statutory provision, indicating an intent to proscribe the

fraudulent use of "a credit card," and to provide for the

aggregation of dollar values obtained through such use. In this

context, the legislature did not provide for the aggregation of

transactions involving multiple credit cards.

The use of singular language, however, is not

conclusive. AlohaCare v. Ito, 126 Hawai#i 326, 347, 271 P.3d

621, 642 (2012). HRS § 1-17 (2009) provides the general rule of

statutory construction that "[w]ords . . . in the singular or

plural number signify both the singular and plural number[.]"

Nonetheless, "[t]his court has interpreted statutes using the

statutory presumption in HRS § 1-17 only after reviewing the

legislative history and context in which a statute was passed to

determine whether the legislature intended to signify both the

singular and plural forms of a word." AlohaCare, 126 Hawai#i at

347, 271 P.3d at 642. Thus, we must look to legislative history

to determine whether the legislature intended prosecution for the

offense of Credit Card Fraud under HRS § 708-8100 to be based on

the use of multiple credit cards or credit card numbers.

The original form of the Credit Card Fraud statute was

first enacted in 1965, along with other credit card offenses.

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1965 Haw. Sess. Laws Act 189, § 2 at 267. The legislature

explained:

The purpose of this bill is to set forth criminal

offenses involving credit cards and penalties relating

thereto.

Your Committee finds that both consumers and

businessmen have suffered substantial losses because of the

wrongful use of credit cards. Many frauds are incurred

where a credit card is lost or stolen and subsequently

misappropriated.

H. Stand. Comm. Rep. No. 252, in 1965 House Journal, at 596.

There is nothing in the legislative history of the original

Credit Card Fraud statute to indicate that the legislature

intended to signify both singular and plural forms of the phrases

"a credit card," "a credit card number," and "without the consent

of the cardholder." See id.; H. Stand. Comm. Rep. No. 441, in

1965 House Journal, at 650; S. Stand. Comm. Rep. No. 697, in 1965

Senate Journal, at 1113. Neither does the legislative history of

subsequent amendments to the statute contain any indication that

the legislature intended the offense to be prosecuted based on

multiple credit cards or credit card numbers. Conf. Comm. Rep.

No. 94-06, in 2006 House Journal, at 1813, 2006 Senate Journal,

at 946-47; S. Stand. Comm. Rep. No. 3215, in 2006 Senate Journal,

at 1557; H. Stand. Comm. Rep. No. 665-06, in 2006 House Journal,

at 1359-60; H. Stand. Comm. Rep. No. 1173-88, in 1988 House

Journal, at 1257-58; S. Stand. Comm. Rep. No. 2138, in 1988

Senate Journal, at 921; S. Stand. Comm. Rep. No. 820-86, in 1986

Senate Journal, at 1168-70; S. Stand. Comm. Rep. No. 569-86, in

1986 Senate Journal, at 1036-37; H. Stand. Comm. Rep. No. 487, in

1985 House Journal, at 1216-18; H. Stand. Comm. Rep. No. 815, in

1983 House Journal, at 1216; S. Stand. Comm. Rep. No. 381, in

1983 Senate Journal, at 1201; S. Stand. Comm. Rep. No. 1120, in

1977 Senate Journal, at 1300; H. Stand. Comm. Rep. No. 253, in

1977 House Journal, at 1394-95; S. Stand. Comm. Rep. No. 1069-74,

in 1974 Senate Journal, at 1167; H. Stand. Comm. Rep. No. 470-74,

in 1974 House Journal, at 741; H. Stand. Comm. Rep. No. 240-74,

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in 1974 House Journal, at 649; S. Stand. Comm. Rep. No. 893-70,

in 1970 Senate Journal, at 1409-10; H. Stand. Comm. Rep. No. 536-

70, in 1970 House Journal, at 1055-58; H. Stand. Comm. Rep. No.

317-70, in 1970 House Journal, at 904-05.

In the absence of any legislative history indicating

that the legislature intended Credit Card Fraud to be prosecuted

as a felony based on multiple credit cards or credit card

numbers, we rely on the legislative intent expressed in the plain

language of the statute, as analyzed above, without resorting to

HRS § 1-17.

Furthermore, in analyzing HRS § 851-4 (Supp. 1982),13

the predecessor statute to HRS § 708-8100, this court has held

that "[t]he utility of the six-month period is . . . to cumulate

the number of fraudulent uses of the same credit card and

aggregate the value of the goods during such period to permit a

felony charge[.]" State v. Daly, 4 Haw. App. 52, 56, 659 P.2d

83, 86 (1983) (emphasis added). Thus, under HRS § 708-8100(2),

the offense of Credit Card Fraud can be charged as a class C

felony by aggregating the dollar values of multiple transactions

involving the same credit card, but not by aggregating the values

of multiple transactions involving more than one credit card or

credit card number.

Based on the foregoing, we conclude that Count II was

13 HRS § 851-4 (Supp. 1982) provided:

§851-4 Fraudulent use of credit cards, etc., penalties.

A person, who, with intent to defraud the issuer, a person or

organization providing money, goods, services, or anything

else of value, or any other person, . . . (2) obtains or

attempts or conspires to obtain money, goods, services, or

anything else of value by representing without the consent of

the cardholder that he is the holder of a specified card or by

representing that he is the holder of a card and such card has

not in fact been issued, violates this section and is subject

to the penalties set forth in subsection 851-10(a), if the

value of all money, goods, services, and other things of value

obtained or attempted to be obtained in violation of this

section does not exceed $100 in any six-month period; and is

subject to the penalties set forth in subsection 851-10(b), if

such value exceeds $100 in any six-month period.

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defective for improperly aggregating the values of transactions

arising from multiple credit cards and thus cannot reasonably be

construed to charge the offense of Credit Card Fraud under HRS

§ 708-8100 as a class C felony. We therefore vacate Shaw's

conviction for Count II.

B. Motion to Dismiss the Indictment

Shaw contends that the circuit court should have

granted her Motion to Dismiss because the evidence that the State

adduced before the grand jury was insufficient to establish

probable cause for the charged offenses.

Regarding Count II, we conclude that there was

insufficient evidence to establish probable cause that Shaw

committed Credit Card Fraud as charged. In light of our

conclusion discussed supra that Credit Card Fraud cannot be

charged as a class C felony by aggregating the values of

transactions involving multiple credit cards or credit card

numbers, we further conclude that there was insufficient evidence

to establish probable cause that Shaw used a single credit card

or credit card number without the consent of the cardholder to

obtain money in excess of $300. See HRS § 708-8100(1)(c), (2).

The circuit court therefore erred in not dismissing Count II.

As for Count I, Computer Fraud 3, Shaw's challenge to

the Motion to Dismiss has no merit on appeal.

In State v. Montgomery, 103 Hawai#i 373, 381, 82 P.3d 818,

826 (App. 2004), we held that the defendant could not

challenge, on appeal, the denial of his or her motion to

dismiss the indictment for lack of probable cause after a

conviction. In support of our holding, we cited In re Doe,

102 Hawai#i 75, 78, 73 P.3d 29, 32 (2003), in which the

Hawai#i Supreme Court stated that "absent unusual

circumstances, any defects in a pretrial determination of

probable cause are rendered moot, or are without any

effective remedy, which is much the same thing, by a

subsequent conviction."

State v. Torres, 122 Hawai#i 2, 14 n.7, 222 P.3d 409, 421 n.7

(App. 2009), aff'd and corrected on other grounds by 125 Hawai#i

382, 262 P.3d 1006 (2011). Shaw's challenge to the circuit

court's denial of her motion to dismiss the Computer Fraud 3

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charge based on a lack of probable cause was rendered moot by her

subsequent conviction of the offense after trial. There are no

unusual circumstances in this case.

C. Jury Instructions

Shaw challenges the definition of "inference" given in

the circuit court's jury instructions. At trial, defense counsel

objected to the instruction with the definition of "inference" on

the basis that there was already a separate general instruction,

based on HAWJIC, that discussed circumstantial evidence, which

permits reasonable inferences to be drawn.

The circuit court instructed the jury on the definition

of "inference" as follows:

An "inference" is a logical and reasonable conclusion of the

existence of a fact from the establishment of other facts,

from which, by the process of logic and reason, and based on

human experience, the existence of an assumed fact may be

concluded by the jury. Lack of consent may be proved

circumstantially on the basis of logical and reasonable

inferences drawn from the evidence adduced and common human

experience.

On appeal, Shaw argues that the given definition was

confusing, unclear, unhelpful, and failed to instruct the jury in

a manner that they could understand. Shaw cites no authority to

support her conclusory assertions. Shaw also argues that the

given definition for "inference" was misleading and prejudicial

as it contradicted the concept of reasonable doubt, which

prohibits finding the defendant guilty based on mere suspicion or

probability.

The definition of "inference" given in this instruction

is identical to the definition adopted by the Hawai#i Supreme

Court in State v. Pone, 78 Hawai#i 262, 273, 892 P.2d 455, 466

(1995), and is thus a correct statement of the law. Furthermore,

we find nothing in the given instruction that is inconsistent

with the law pertaining to reasonable doubt. As such, we

conclude that the jury instruction was not erroneous.

Shaw next challenges the circuit court's instructions

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on the elements of Computer Fraud 3.14 Shaw did not raise any

objection to this jury instruction at trial.

The circuit court instructed the jury on the elements

of Computer Fraud 3 as follows:

In Count I, the Defendant, Susan E. Shaw, is charged

with committing the offense of Computer Fraud in the Third

Degree.

A person commits the offense of Computer Fraud in the

Third Degree if she accesses a computer, computer system, or

computer network with the intent to commit the offense of

theft in the third degree.

There are two elements to the offense of Computer

Fraud in the Third Degree, each of which the prosecution

must prove beyond a reasonable doubt.

These two elements are:

1. That on or about the January 16, 2017, through

and including the May 18, 2017, in the City and

County of Honolulu, State of Hawaii, the

Defendant, Susan E. Shaw, accessed a computer,

computer system, or computer network; and

2. That the Defendant, Susan E. Shaw, did so with

the intent to commit the offense of theft in the

third degree.

A person commits the offense of theft in the third

degree if she obtains or exerts unauthorized control over

the property of another, the value of which exceeds $250.00,

with intent to deprive the person of that property.

Shaw reiterates her contention that the State could not

aggregate theft amounts for the purpose of charging Shaw with

Computer Fraud 3. Shaw further argues that, with the aggregated

nature of the charge, the circuit court erred in failing to

instruct the jury on the definition of scheme and the mens rea

related to Shaw's intent to engage in a scheme.

As we have discussed supra, the State was allowed to

aggregate the amounts upon which the Computer Fraud 3 charge was

based, pursuant to HRS § 708-801(6). However, in Yokota, the

14 Shaw also challenges the jury instruction on the elements of Credit

Card Fraud. However, because we vacate Shaw's conviction for Credit Card Fraud

on the basis of a legally insufficient charge, we need not address the portion of

Shaw's challenge to the jury instructions that relates to the Credit Card Fraud

charge.

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supreme court emphasized that the question of "whether a

continuing course of conduct offense occurred is a question that

should be submitted to the jury." 143 Hawai#i at 206, 426 P.3d

at 430 (citing State v. Matias, 102 Hawai#i 300, 305, 75 P.3d

1191, 1196 (2003) ("The test to determine whether the defendant

intended to commit more than one offense is whether the evidence

discloses one general intent or discloses separate and distinct

intents. . . . All factual issues involved in this determination

must be decided by the trier of fact." (emphasis in original)),

and People v. Daghita, 92 N.Y.S.2d 799, 802 (N.Y. App. Div. 1949)

("What is 'separate', what is 'single', . . . are all jury

questions both by legal tradition and by necessity. . . . The

question of whether the takings were separate or united in

purpose was carefully and fairly submitted to the jury as a

question of fact[.]")).

Here, the instruction regarding Computer Fraud 3 did

not submit to the jury the factual question of whether Shaw

engaged in one scheme or course of conduct, in other words,

whether the evidence disclosed one general intent or separate and

distinct intents. The question was determinative of whether Shaw

met the $250 threshold to be convicted of Computer Fraud 3 based

on an aggregation of numerous transactions, where none of the

individual transactions exceeded $250 in value. Thus, we cannot

say that there was no reasonable possibility that the circuit

court's failure to submit the issue to the jury contributed to

Shaw's conviction; the error was therefore not harmless beyond a

reasonable doubt. See Nichols, 111 Hawai#i at 337, 141 P.3d at

984. Shaw's conviction for Computer Fraud 3 must be vacated on

this ground and remanded for a new trial.15

V. CONCLUSION

Based on the foregoing, we vacate the Judgment of

15 In light of our decision to vacate Shaw's conviction of both counts,

we need not address Shaw's remaining points of error.

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Conviction and Sentence, entered July 11, 2018, by the Circuit

Court of the First Circuit, and we remand this matter for a new

trial on Count I.

DATED: Honolulu, Hawai#i, May 15, 2020.

On the briefs:

Chad Kumagai,

Deputy Prosecuting Attorney,

City and County of Honolulu,

for Plaintiff-Appellee.

Taryn R. Tomasa,

Deputy Public Defender,

for Defendant-Appellant.

/s/ Lisa M. Ginoza

Chief Judge

/s/ Derrick H. M. Chan

Associate Judge

/s/ Clyde J. Wadsworth

Associate Judge

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