State v. Miyahira

OPINION OF THE COURT BY

HEEN, J.

Defendant-Appellant Hideo Miyahira (Defendant) appeals from his conviction of murder, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) § 707-701 (1976). The issues on appeal are as follows:(1) Whether an unauthorized communication by the trial court bailiff to the jury foreperson deprived Defendant of his constitutional right to a fair trial;(2) Whether the trial court’s refusal to admit a defense witness’s testimony regarding a past specific act of aggression by the victim was reversible error; and(3) Whether the trial court’s instructions on (a) the issue of burden of proof on…