KEALAKEKUA — The woman accused of convincing a man to burn the Big Island Drug Court and threatening three teenagers prior to the attempted blaze will faces charges for both crimes.
KEALAKEKUA — The woman accused of convincing a man to burn the Big Island Drug Court and threatening three teenagers prior to the attempted blaze will faces charges for both crimes.
In the arson case Randi-Keli Banagan, 24, Captain Cook, was charged with first-degree arson, conspiracy to commit first-degree arson and two counts of terroristic threatening stemming from the March 3 incident. She is charged with two counts of first-degree terroristic threatening for the second incident.
Kainoa Lindo is also charged in the courthouse arson. Their cases split early, as James Bivien, Banagan’s defense counsel, requested a mental health examination for his client.
District Court Judge Margaret Masunaga granted the motion.
The man she allegedly convinced to burn the courthouse, Lindo, has already seen his part of the arson case advance to circuit court. He was also allegedly present during the threatening that preceded the arson.
“Randi was the one who put Kainoa up to burn that courthouse,” said Shivonne “Kaylie” Kahee, Lindo’s girlfriend, in a recorded statement to police.
During Lindo’s recent preliminary hearing the prosecution presented evidence alleging that Banagan convinced Lindo to light the building on fire because she did not want to go to prison on a probation violation. She was on probation for shooting a man in the chest, a charge that was pleaded down due to her mental health, according to her defense.
The state sought an indictment on the charges, which the grand jury granted. Banagan was scheduled for a mental health hearing Wednesday, which was cancelled when the district court charges were discharged.
The indictment led to her arrest and appearance in circuit court Thursday.
The case will be heard by Maui Circuit Judge Rhonda Loo, as all the Big Island judges recused themselves from the case. Thursday’s hearing was an arraignment and plea. She entered a not guilty plea, with a pretrial conference set for June 29 in both cases. Her bail remained at a combined $1 million.