Lankford found guilty

I wish the court system would have flea bargained with Lankford in order to locate the body. His life is gone anyway. At least the authorities should have pushed him much more to locate the body.

I was not there so maybe they did the best they could do. I’m still very confident the body will relocated.

Everyone did an outstanding job in this case. It seems like it was an easy case though. I would have found him guilty before the trial even started and gone home to drink ice tea, but this is our legal system and we should respect it.

Good job.

He got what he deserves as common sense finally prevailed in the jury system unlike that in Los Angeles . Also, the defense attorney making asinine comments blaming the news media is just his way to distract his idiocy of frabicating an unlikey story for his client that it was an accident....give me a break!

That picture of him with Carlisle in the foreground sure shows him as an old man already. What an idiot he is! His Wilkerson clone make-over look didn't help him a bit! What a baka laweyr, if you can call Wilkerson a lawyer.

Finally, justice is being served.

Lankford built his own jigoku.(sometimes called kehena). Mahalo Mr. Carlisle.

Alan Cummings wrote:

<quoted text>
Von,
that's an excellent idea, but that's all that it is. Usually unless there is some sort of immunity deal gift wrapped with a pretty pink bow these low-lifes will keep their mouths shut till the day they die and you will never see miss Watanabe in this lifetime.

Lankford waited until his trial, almost a year later, to give his version of what happened. He really thought the jury would take him at his word. With a plea bargain, I'm sure the prosecutor would've insisted he allocutes and if he lies, the plea bargain is taken off the table. I very much doubt he would've given the prosecutor the body of Masumi Watanabe, knowing that it would completely disprove the version he thought would put him in the best light with the jury and his family. Too bad him and his lawyer miscalculated how the jury would see his version of the truth. But oh, what a great day for justice!

A body in the sea is fish food. There is nothing to find.

Alan Cummings wrote:

<quoted text>
Von,
that's an excellent idea, but that's all that it is. Usually unless there is some sort of immunity deal gift wrapped with a pretty pink bow these low-lifes will keep their mouths shut till the day they die and you will never see miss Watanabe in this lifetime.

Yes Alan you are very right.

It is easy for me to set back in the living room armchair and say how is should have been done. I have plenty of dreams and ideas, but life does not pay any attention to them.

That is why I post them here :)

Ok, now he's in prison. He's going to hold out for as long as he can, hoping time rots away all the DNA evidence. Then he's going to come back and offer to give up the location of the body in exchange for whatever he can get. No way this guy walked way out across that sharp reef, through all that vanna, to dump a body. His feet would have been shredded. That girl's body is still on this island.

Finally, a jury who sees through the smoke and shadows! HANG 'EM HIGH!!

Emi wrote:

<quoted text>
Lankford waited until his trial, almost a year later, to give his version of what happened. He really thought the jury would take him at his word. With a plea bargain, I'm sure the prosecutor would've insisted he allocutes and if he lies, the plea bargain is taken off the table. I very much doubt he would've given the prosecutor the body of Masumi Watanabe, knowing that it would completely disprove the version he thought would put him in the best light with the jury and his family. Too bad him and his lawyer miscalculated how the jury would see his version of the truth. But oh, what a great day for justice!

Hi Emi in Aiea

You said it all.

Amen !

Tragedy all around.

The family would rather have their daughter back.

Lanford had criminal intentions, but probably did not plan a murder.

The attorney did a great job with the law and facts he had to work with. He may still win on appeal. For better or worse, he will always be rememberd in this community for his performance in this case. Maybe from his point of view, it's positive, at least he will be remembered.

The Prosecutor represented "we the people" skillfully. He mastered his own emotions (our collective sense of outrage) and methodically won on circumstantial evidence alone. If the appeal goes the other way, it won't be his fault.

Our community has shown it can convict a murder but we still have a way to go to protect men, women and children from violence caused by strangers and those within our own homes.

The case is now really in the hands of judges, and now we find out if years of Leislative Democrats' preventing former prosecutors from becoming judges has "unleveled" the playing field in The People vs. Lanford.

I really, really hope for the sake of Lankford and his family that the State keeps him in protective custody for the ENTIRETY of his incarceration.

I shudder...NAY...make that, tremble at the prospect of Lankford in gen-pop mingling with da Halawa Boiz. May the Lord have mercy...

Lankford got a fair trial, he was vigorously defended by counsel who used a whole toolbox of tricks to defend him, in the end he was convicted. Fair trial + stout defense = no basis for appeal. I figure after a few year dealing with the cons inside, Lanford will be more than will to give up the location of the body in exchange for some kind of accommodation in prison. What I hope never happens is that he is allowed to trade the location of the body for a lesser sentence.

Great job Mr. Carlisle and Jury!

Took him a whole year to come up with his lie, and that's just what it was--a lie.

Wilkerson? Don't get upset with the media for simply repeating what was said and done in trial then claiming the media lied...geez, look in the mirror.

thats true the girls body has to be on da island,hes saving that for later i bet ya,for a get out of prison free card

Justice was served in this case and now Lankford has to pay for his crime. I cannot image the pain being suffered by the Watanabe family over the tragic death of their daughter. I hope they can find peace now that Lankford is convicted of their daughter's murder.

Lankford had criminal intentions that day and he found an unfortunate victim. It doesn't matter whether or not he had murder on this mind, his criminal intentions escalated his crimes to murder and now he must pay the price. For example, someone who brings a gun to rob a convenience store doesn't have murder on his mind, primarily robbery. However, when the crap hits the fan and he kills someone, it doesn't excuse or lessen his/her crimes.

Let's hope the jury requests life without parole for Lankford. He's a sick, sadistic murderer who will kill again if released back to society. May Masumi rest in peace.

Justice has spoken! Our congratulations to the many individuals who unselfishly came forward and testified on behalf of the State.

It's so nice to see the Justice System in Honolulu working for the Victim and her Family. I know what they are going through. I am a Victim of a unsolved murder that happened in Hawaii 33 years ago. I have been praying every day for decades to have my day in court. It's nice to see Justice served