Sentencing Postponed, Katherine Kealoha Resigns As Attorney
The Hawaii Supreme Court granted the former deputy prosecutor’s request to step down as she awaits sentencing.
Katherine Kealoha will be allowed to resign from the practice of law in the state of Hawaii instead of being disciplined.
The Office of Disciplinary Counsel announced Monday that the Hawaii Supreme Court has granted her request to resign, which the disciplinary counsel says is the same as being disbarred.
Her resignation will become effective on March 27.
The former city prosecutor was facing “serious disciplinary charges” stemming from her federal felony convictions, according to a news release from the disciplinary counsel.
She was convicted of conspiracy, obstruction, bank fraud, identity theft and misprision of a felony last year.
Sentencing was set for Tuesday but that has now been delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The U.S. District Court said in a statement Monday, “In the interest of the safety and health of the public and of court employees, the sentencing hearings for the Katherine Kealoha, Louis Kealoha, Derek Wayne Hahn, and Minh-Hung Nguyen, presently scheduled for March 17 and 18, 2020, are being postponed to a date to be determined.”
The statement said that an executive ordered will be entered shortly “to that effect.”
Kealoha, 49, was admitted to the Hawaii bar in 1996.
