July 30, 2005

Judge Recuses From Deacon Trial

HAWAII
KGMB

Brooks Baehr – bbaehr@kgmb9.com

Ron Gonsalves, a deacon with the Catholic church, was back in a Wailuku courtroom Friday. He is charged with 62 counts of sexual assault against a teenage boy.

Gonsalves was hoping to have his $790,000 bail reduced, but it didn't happen.

Maui Circuit Judge Joel August took himself off the case and postponed the bail hearing before Gonsalves' defense attorney, Philip Lowenthal, could ask that the bail be lowered.

August didn't explain in court why he recused himself, but Lowenthal's son and law clerk says it has something to do with the fact that Lowenthal and August were long-time law partners.

Posted by kshaw at July 30, 2005 08:52 AM