A federal magistrate is expected to decide Tuesday whether former prosecutor Katherine Kealoha’s medical condition warrants a delay of her bank fraud trial, which is scheduled to begin next month.

Kealoha, a former assistant prosecutor, and her husband, former Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha, were indicted last year on bank fraud and corruption charges. The two are scheduled to be tried together Nov. 14 on charges they lied on bank loan documents.

Earlier this month, Kealoha’s attorney, Cynthia Kagiwada, filed a request that the trial be delayed. But because the request discusses Kealoha’s specific medical condition, her attorney has asked the court to seal the documents. U.S. Magistrate Judge Richard Puglisi will consider the request at the Tuesday afternoon hearing.

Cory Lum/Civil Beat

“Given the timing of Defendant’s request, her recent appearances in public, and her past practice of feigning serious illnesses, Defendant’s request is suspect,” wrote Eric Beste, an assistant U.S. attorney. “As with her earlier motion to continue the trial, Defendant’s instant motion is premature and should be denied without prejudice.”

In the original and superseding indictment charging the couple, the government stated that Kealoha falsely claimed her different signatures on loan applications were due to an ongoing medical condition and vision problems.

The Nov. 14 trial is the first of two for the Kealohas. In March, they are scheduled to be tried together with four other Honolulu police officers on charges the six framed her uncle for the theft of their mailbox, then lied about it to investigators.

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