HONOLULU (AP) 鈥� A judge on Friday forced the Hawaii attorney general's office to turn over to lawyers involved in the hundreds of lawsuits over all documents, interviews and data collected by the outside team hired to investigate the disaster.
Attorneys representing plaintiffs suing over the August fires filed a motion last month asking a judge to compel the state provide them with the material gathered by the Fire Safety Research Institute, which was hired by the state to investigate.
The state refused, saying disclosing the records would 鈥渏eopardize and hinder鈥� the investigation. In court documents opposing the motion, the state called the request 鈥減remature, baseless and frivolous,鈥� and asked a judge to order that attorneys fees be paid to the state for defending against the motion.
Soon after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century ripped through the historic town of Lahaina and killed 101 people, Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez announced hiring outside investigators. Last month Lopez and representatives from the released a report on the first phase of the investigation, which said the head of the emergency management agency dragged his heels about returning to the island amid the unfolding crisis, while a left authorities in the dark and residents without emergency alerts.
During a Friday hearing on the island of Maui, state Deputy Attorney General David Matsumiya told Judge Peter Cahill the state is concerned that releasing information could prompt the six people who haven't been interviewed yet to change their stories.
Cahill balked.
鈥淒o you really believe that's going to be happening?鈥� he asked, clearly upset. 鈥淎nd so what if they change their stories? Aren't they entitled to?鈥�
Cahill seemed to indicate concerns with the investigation, including whether people interviewed were advised that they weren't obligated to answer questions.
鈥淏y the way, the taxpayers are paying for this,鈥� the judge continued.
Lopez said last month the investigation contract was initially not to exceed $1.5 million, but because they are behind schedule, the contract was extended. According to an , the cost increased by $2.5 million, not to exceed a total of $4 million.
The judge's order is of 鈥済rave concern,鈥� the attorney general's office said in a statement after the hearing.
鈥淭he independent, objective fact-finding process and analysis is critical to determining what county and state agencies must do to ensure that a tragedy like this never happens again,鈥� the statement said. 鈥淧remature release of these materials may allow external factors to influence the analysis.鈥�
The attorney general is reviewing options and will soon decide on an appropriate course of action.
Cahill told Matsumiya he understands the state's concerns, but not giving the information to the attorneys would delay litigation. The investigation is important, and it was a wise investment to hire an outside agency given the state lacks a , he said, 鈥渂ut it's also important that people have their day in court.鈥�
Cahill noted there are some 400 lawsuits involving thousands of plaintiffs.
鈥淚t's frustrating the process of litigation,鈥� Cahill said, 鈥渨hich is also a truth-seeking mechanism.鈥�
David Minkin, an attorney representing Maui County, suggested to the judge that the investigative process was tainted.
Investigators 鈥渟howed up in Lahaina, said we're here from the AG's office and started talking to people,鈥� without informing them of their rights, he said.
Matsumiya said the state is trying to 鈥減rotect the integrity of the investigation, which is designed to create a better future for Lahaina, and all of those people in Lahaina."
But Cahill responded that 鈥渢he past in this case, given what's occurred on this island, needs to be taken care of as well,鈥� and that litigation will determine whether there were any legal breaches of duty.
During a separate hearing later Friday to discuss coordination of the , Cahill said a handful of lawsuits are scheduled to go to trial in November.
Jennifer Sinco Kelleher, The Associated Press
