State v. Friedman

Opinion of the Court by

MOON, C.J.

Subsequent to a bench trial in the family court of the second circuit, defendant-appellant Bernd Friedman appeals his conviction of and sentence for abuse of family and household members (family abuse), in violation of Hawai'i Revised Statutes (HRS) § 709-906 (1993 & Supp.1999). 1 Friedman appeals on several grounds: (1) the trial court erred when it failed to obtain a valid waiver of his constitutional right to a trial by jury; (2) the trial court plainly erred when it convicted him even though there was insufficient evidence to negative the justification…