Opinion ID: 1375362
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Lau's Testimony

Text: Lau testified to the following: On the evening of August 3, 1989, Griffiths and Hee asked Kamanu to join them for drinks at Flamingo's. While at Flamingo's, Hee told them he needed to go to Waim&amacr;nalo. The three got into Kamanu's car, but Hee drove; Kamanu sat in the front passenger seat, and Griffiths sat in the back. Before they reached Waim&amacr;nalo, Griffiths said he needed to use the restroom. Hee pulled the car on to a secluded side road and stopped near some bushes. Kamanu got out to stretch. While Kamanu had his arms raised in the air, Griffiths put a gun to the back of Kamanu's head and shot him. Kamanu fell to the ground, and Griffiths promptly fired two more shots into Kamanu's face. Hee and Griffiths, together, then placed their hands on the gun and, in unison, shot Kamanu in the face a final time. Griffiths dragged the lifeless body into the bushes and stomped on [Kamanu's] head a couple more times.... He then took Kamanu's waist pouch, his California driver's license, and his black drug-deal book. Griffiths and Hee got back into Kamanu's car and headed toward Kaakimaka's house in Hawai`i Kai. On the way, somewhere near Makapu'u, Griffiths tossed the gun into the ocean. Once at Kaakimaka's house, Griffiths changed out of his blood-stained clothes and took a shower. After washing the blood off of Kamanu's car, Griffiths and Hee drove to a drainage ditch near Kaakimaka's house, where Griffiths discarded his bloodied clothing. Griffiths then drove Hee to Hee's place of employment so that Hee could make it to work on time so he would have a good alibi. Griffiths then drove to and spent approximately twenty minutes at a church parking lot in K&amacr;hala, wiping down the inside of Kamanu's car. Griffiths abandoned the car there, walked to a 7-Eleven Store, and called Aiwohi's house, requesting that someone come and pick him up. Dacosin, Kaakimaka, and Lau were with Aiwohi at Aiwohi's house. Dacosin and Lau drove to the 7-Eleven and returned to Aiwohi's house with Griffiths, whereupon Kaakimaka and Aiwohi shook Griffiths' hand, and Aiwohi congratulated him on a good job. Griffiths relayed the details of what had happened. Kaakimaka was upset that Griffiths had discarded his clothes so close to Kaakimaka's house. Also, there was confusion regarding the two grand in Kamanu's pouch. Those present at Aiwohi's house had anticipated a much larger sum because [Kamanu] was a pretty big drug dealer ... and he was supposed to have a lot of money with him that night ... [but] Hee said he didn't know where the rest of the money was. The defendants and codefendants spent the next half hour to forty-five minutes confirming their alibis. Dacosin then burned Kamanu's black book and his driver's license because [Kaakimaka] said they'd be all screwed up if anyone else found that black book with [Griffiths'] prints or anyone's prints on it ... that would link them directly to [Kamanu]. Lau testified that in December 1989, he was arrested for drugs. Shortly thereafter, Kaakimaka and Dacosin met with Lau to admonish him against revealing anything about the murder of Kamanu while being questioned about the drug charges. They reminded him to keep quiet and to say nothing about what happened about the murder. Notwithstanding such warning, Lau talked to ... Santana ... [and] to ... Hee about it while Lau was incarcerated at H&amacr;lawa prison.