The woman charged with fatally shooting a man in Kailua last month pled “not guilty” to second-degree murder Thursday.
Hilinaikailimakualopali Keeno, 24, appeared in court Thursday for her arraignment on murder and firearm charges after she allegedly shot and killed 30-year-old Thomas Malone near the Kailua Fall Festival on Sept. 26.
Members of Malone’s family packed the courtroom, with some holding up photos of the deceased throughout the proceedings. Malone’s father, Mike Malone, declined to speak to reporters, but led a prayer circle with other family members after the hearing concluded.
Keeno herself did not speak during the proceedings, with her attorney, Andrew Strand, issued her plea of not guilty on her behalf.
Strand also requested that the District Court’s decision to hold Keeno without bail be reevaluated, and filed a motion late Wednesday requesting that her previous bail of $1 million be reinstated.
However, Judge Ronald Johnson said that, for the time being, Keeno will not be allowed bail. He said that, given the severity of the charges, Keeno represents a danger to the public, and because a conviction could put Keeno in prison for life, she is also a flight risk.
Johnson added that, based on police accounts of the shooting, Keeno allegedly was carrying a firearm at a public festival even before the fatal altercation, which he said was indicative of her potential danger to the public.
Nonetheless, Johnson said Keeno’s trial judge, Rowena Somerville, may decide to restore Keeno’s bail.
Strand also submitted on Wednesday a request for discovery, asking the Honolulu Police Department to provide communications logs and other records pertinent to how they investigated the shooting.
Among those records Strand requested were phone records of a witness who was named in police records as the person who positively identified Keeno as the shooter. He also requested that witness’ financial records between Sept. 26 and Thursday, to look for any transaction of money between the witness and Malone’s family “in exchange for his false statements to law enforcement.”
Strand’s request also sought Malone’s mother’s complete phone records “regarding her threats to ‘take out’” [Keeno] or otherwise harm [Keeno] in retaliation.”
Johnson scheduled Keeno’s trial for December of this year. Keeno remains in custody at the Women’s Community Correction Center.
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