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Hawai’i Supreme Court: Prosecutor’s Cumulative Misconduct Deprived Defendant of a Fair Trial, Vacates Denial of Motion for New Trial
by Douglas Ankney
The Supreme Court of Hawai’i vacated the judgment of the Intermediate Court of Appeals (“ICA”) that held a prosecutor’s cumulative misconduct was harmless.
Matthew K. Williams was convicted of sexually assaulting T.Y., a minor. At trial, the prosecutor introduced to the jury incriminating statements …
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More from this issue:
- How Cops Use Copyright Laws to Prevent the Public from Recording Their Bad Acts, by Dale Chappell
- “If Everybody’s White, There Can’t Be Any Racial Bias”: The Disappearance of Hispanic Drivers From Traffic Records, by Richard Webster
- Brooklyn DA Releases List of Untrustworthy Cops, by Anthony Accurso
- You’d Better Watch Out: The Surveillance State Has a Naughty List, and You’re On It, by John W. Whitehead, Nisha Whitehead
- Sixth Circuit: Only One Conviction May Result Under § 922(g) for Single Incident of Firearm Possession, by Douglas Ankney
- Montana Supreme Court: Ineffective Assistance of Counsel for Failing to Object to Incorrect Jury Instruction That Lowered State’s Burden of Proof, by Douglas Ankney
- The AEDPA: A Forgotten Catalyst in Mass Incarceration, by Dale Chappell
- New Jersey Supreme Court Announces Arrestees in Police Custody Have Reasonable Expectation of Privacy in Calls Made on Police Station Phone Absent Notice That Call Is Being Monitored or Recorded, by Douglas Ankney
- Crime Rates Rise and Fall. The Police Mostly Have Nothing to Do With It., by Aya Gruber
- Pennsylvania Supreme Court Announces Framework for Determining Whether State of Mind Exception to Hearsay Rule Applies to Out-of-Court Statements, Dual-Purpose Statements Generally Inadmissible, by Matthew Clarke
- Fourth Circuit: Long-Term Aerial Surveillance That Reveals ‘Whole of Individuals’ Movements’ Constitutes Search Without a Warrant, Violates Fourth Amendment, by Douglas Ankney
- Rethinking the ‘Sex Offender’ Label, by Derek Logue
- North Carolina Supreme Court Announces Pretrial Notice of Duress Defense Does Not Forfeit Fifth Amendment Right to Silence, Reaffirms Rule Against Preemptive Impeachment, by Anthony Accurso
- California Court of Appeal: Police Created Atmosphere of Custodial Interrogation Requiring Miranda Warnings Even Though Prearrest Interview Occurred in Teen Suspect’s Home, by Douglas Ankney
- California Court of Appeal: Superior Courts Must Consider Only Elements of Prior Adjudicated Felony, Not Juvenile’s Conduct for § 1170(d)(2)(B) Purposes, by Douglas Ankney
- Third Circuit Announces Mere Physical Proximity of Guns and Drugs Insufficient for Automatic Application of U.S.S.G. § 2K2.1(b)(6)(B) Enhancement Under Commentary Note 14(B), Creates Rebuttable Presumption, by Douglas Ankney
- California Supreme Court Announces Mandatory Supervision Conditions Un-der Realignment Act Evaluated for Reasonableness on Case-by-Case Basis Under Lent Test, by Anthony Accurso
- Montana Supreme Court: Defendant’s Due Process Rights Violated by Delayed Initial Appearance for Two Years While Jailed in New York on Out-of-State Warrant, by David Reutter
- U.S. Sentencing Commission Creates New Sentencing Tool for Judges, by Dale Chappell
- California Supreme Court Announces Not All Subsequent Habeas Petitions Under Death Penalty Reform and Savings Act Are ‘Successive’, by Dale Chappell
- Who Defends the Public Defenders?, by Jayson Hawkins
- The Long-Term Effects of 9/11: Naturally, More Surveillance, by Jayson Hawkins
- Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Announces Impacted Third Party Has Right to Appeal Motion Granting Postconviction DNA Testing, by Matthew Clarke
- Ninth Circuit: California Law Prohibiting Recovery of Loss of Life Damages Inconsistent With § 1983, by Douglas Ankney
- Second Circuit Declares Police Firearms Examiners Subject to Brady, Examiner Who Failed to Disclose Exculpatory Ballistics Report Not Entitled to Qualified Immunity, by Douglas Ankney
- Ninth Circuit: Washington’s Sentencing Guidelines, Not Statutory Maximum, Set Upper Limit for Sentence When Determining Grade of Violation of Supervised Release Under U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, by Douglas Ankney
- Nevada Supreme Court Reverses Denial of Motion to Withdraw Guilty Plea Because Defendant Had Strong Argument for Speedy Trial Violation and Colorable Claim of IAC, by Douglas Ankney
- Iowa Supreme Court Calls SCOTUS’ Fourth Amendment Jurisprudence ‘a Mess,’ Announces Departure from Lockstep Adherence, and Rules Warrantless Seizure and Search of Defendant’s Curbside Trash Unlawful, by Anthony Accurso
- Missouri Supreme Court: Evidence Found in Cell Phone Seized at Sheriff’s Office Instead of Defendant’s Home, Identified as Location to Be Searched in Warrant, Must Be Suppressed, by Anthony Accurso
- First Circuit: ‘Controlled Substances Offense’ Under § 2K2.1(a)(2) of USSG Refers to Time of Sentencing, Not Time of Prior Conviction, by Anthony Accurso
- Unchecked Federal Use of Facial Recognition Tech, by Anthony Accurso
- Is Orange County’s DNA Collection Scheme Really Voluntary?, by Jayson Hawkins
- Study: Petty Court Fines and Fees Creates ‘Vicious Cycle’ of Debt for Years, by Dale Chappell
- Hawai’i Supreme Court: Prosecutor’s Cumulative Misconduct Deprived Defendant of a Fair Trial, Vacates Denial of Motion for New Trial, by Douglas Ankney
- Cop Gets Money for Nothing, Awards for Free, by Edward Lyon
- Veterans Restorative Justice Act Offers More Than Alternatives to Jail in Minnesota, by Douglas Ankney
- Secret CBP Teams New DHS Weapon of Mass Surveillance, by Jayson Hawkins
- Microbiome: The Latest in Cutting Edge Forensics, by Michael Fortino, Ph.D
- Biden’s DOJ Targets Police Misconduct, by Dale Chappell
- Big Brother’s Eyes and Ears: Understanding and mitigating the impact of high-tech surveillance, by Anthony Accurso
- Fifth Circuit: Texas Police Get Qualified Immunity for Knowingly Using Taser to Ignite Gasoline-Soaked, Suicidal Man, Killing Him and Destroying Family’s House, by Matthew Clarke
- News in Brief
- Marijuana Arrests Keep Dropping
More from Douglas Ankney:
- Barbaric and Deadly Conditions Continue to Plague Los Angeles County Jails, Feb. 1, 2026
- Killings Inside Mississippi’s Prisons Continue Unabated But Report Prompts DOC to Reopen Investigations, Feb. 1, 2026
- Competency Crisis in Missouri’s Jails, Feb. 1, 2026
- Ninth Circuit: Notice of Appeal of Order Denying Qualified Immunity Must Be Filed Within 30 Days of Entry, Feb. 1, 2026
- Fifth Circuit Rules Against Louisiana Prisoner Seeking to Recoup Money Made at Angola Prison Rodeo, Jan. 1, 2026
- Report on “Pay-to-Stay” Fees Makes Strong Case for Their Repeal, Jan. 1, 2026
- Maryland Agrees to Pay $30,000 to Prisoner Who Was Beaten by Guards While Handcuffed, Jan. 1, 2026
- Alabama Supreme Court Denies DOC’s Improper Venue Objection, Jan. 1, 2026
- Third Circuit Rules Awarding BOP Prisoners 54 Days of Good Time Per Year Is Pro-Rated, Jan. 1, 2026
- Utah Supreme Court Announces Framework for Analyzing Combined Brady and Napue Violations, Affirms Postconviction Relief in Capital Murder Case, Jan. 1, 2026
More from these topics:
- SCOTUS Overturns Oklahoma Prisoner’s Death Sentence After More than 25 Years on Death Row, Nov. 1, 2025. Ex Post Facto, Good Time, Wrongful Conviction, Habeas Corpus, Wrongful Imprisonment, Pardons/Clemency, First Step Act, Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act (CAFRA), Specific Offenses, Controlled Substances, Weapons, Accuracy of Information, Depraved Indifference Murder, Evidence - Circumstantial, Theft, Failure to Disclose, Perjury/Perjured Testimony, Evidence - Failure to Disclose, New Trial - Motions for, Pleas Linked to Cooperation, Evidence - Destruction/Fabrication/Manipulation of, Selective Prosecution/Enforcement, Improper Comments, Official Report, Withholding of Exculpatory Evidence, Exculpatory Evidence - Disclosure Obligations.
- Minnesota Judge Spanked For Ignoring Law Restoring Felon Voting Rights, Dec. 15, 2024. Different Judge, Prosecutorial Misconduct, Voting Rights, Comments by Judge.
- What Happens When Prosecutors Offer Opposing Versions of the Truth?, April 15, 2024. Prosecutor/Attorney General Misconduct, Commentary/Reviews, Prosecutorial Misconduct, Outrageous Government Misconduct, Evidence - Destruction/Fabrication/Manipulation of.
- ‘Blatant Miscarriage of Justice’: Oklahoma Man Exonerated of Wrongful Conviction After 35 Years Despite Former Prosecutor’s Attempt to Perpetuate Injustice, April 15, 2024. Wrongful Conviction, Prosecutorial Misconduct.
- Oklahoma Prisoner’s Conviction Tossed After Judge’s Affair With Prosecutor Uncovered, Feb. 1, 2024. Prosecutorial Misconduct, Appearance of Justice/Impartiality.
- Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Holds Granting Motion for New Trial Because ‘Verdict Is Contrary to Law and Evidence,’ Without Further Explanation, Bars Retrial, Oct. 1, 2023. Grounds for Appeal, New Trial - Motions for, Compelling Evidence.
- Texas Court of Criminal Appeals: Trial Court Deprived Defendant of Opportunity to Present Complete Defense, June 15, 2023. Appeals/Appellate Jurisdiction, Best Evidence Rule, Evidence - Failure to Disclose, Prosecutorial Misconduct.
- New Commission in Georgia Will Discipline and Remove Prosecutors Who Are Seen as Not Tough Enough on Crime, June 15, 2023. War on Terror, Prosecutorial Vindictiveness, Prosecutorial Misconduct.
- Washington Supreme Court Announces Adoption of ‘Rule of Automatic Reversal’ When Prosecutor Flagrantly Appeals to Racial and Ethnic Bias During Voir Dire, May 15, 2023. Racial/Ethnic Bias/Profiling, Voir Dire, Prosecutorial Misconduct.
- A Quarter-Century of Injustice Ends: Norberto Peets Exonerated in the Bronx, May 9, 2023. Wrongful Conviction, Prosecutorial Misconduct.





