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It is a core value of our legal system that the proceedings of a court of law are open to the public, including the documents in a criminal case.
So it’s troubling that the Honolulu Star-Advertiser needed to petition the Hawaii Supreme Court to order Hawaii County Judge Barbara Takase to unseal probable-cause documents in the sex assault case against state land officer Ethan Ferguson.
Prosecutor Mitch Roth had asked Takase to seal the documents because they identified a minor. Takase promptly did so, giving no notice and holding no hearing.
When the Star-Advertiser got involved, Roth redacted the minor’s identifying information, refiled the documents publicly, and called the petition moot.
It is not moot.
The problem isn’t solved by releasing these particular documents. It’s solved when officers of the court start taking seriously the public’s right to know.
Can Hawaii vibe survive regal role?
Daniel Dae Kim plays one of the second bananas to top dog Steve McGarrett in “Hawaii Five-0,” but now will get ample practice at lording it over the rest of 19th century Siam in “The King and I” on Broadway.
Kim, who played the King of Siam in a London version, makes his Broadway debut with this role, originated by the legendary Yul Brynner.
Will any of that regal vibe rub off on his cop character back on the set here — and will the rest of the team put up with it?
Kim joins the Tony Award-winning revival starting May 3.
