More questions than answers have been raised over U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright’s sudden recusal from the trial of former city Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro. That came Wednesday, just a month before the long-awaited corruption trial was about to start, and after Seabright had already been presiding over the case since 2022.

Seabright didn’t give a reason for recusal — but he should. Trial was set to start Feb. 27 against Kaneshiro, local businessman Dennis Mitsunaga and several co-defendants; all have pleaded not guilty.