A 30-year-old man accused in the execution-style shooting of a man whose body was found below a cliff at Keawa'ula Bay last month pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and other charges yesterday.

Patrick W. Deguair Jr., who listed no address after his arrest, is being held at O'ahu Community Correctional Center on $1 million bail.

He appeared in court via closed-circuit television yesterday.

Deguair is accused of shooting Jermaine Michael Duckworth, 24, whose body was found below a cliff at the bay, also known as Yokohama Bay, by a tourist on March 27. In addition to second-degree murder, Deguair is charged with kidnapping, use of a prohibited weapon (silencer), and two firearms-related offenses.

Deguair also faces third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug and paraphernalia counts that are unrelated to the homicide case.

Deguair's trial is set to start June 16.

NOT GUILTY PLEA IN ALLEGED SEX ASSAULT

A 27-year-old Japanese citizen pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree sex assault yesterday.

Noriaki Saito has posted $50,000 bail, but is being held at the request of the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

Saito is accused of sexually assaulting a 21-year-old woman on March 17. He faces two counts of first-degree sex assault and one count of third-degree sex assault.

Saito's trial is set to start June 16.

KALIHI MAN HELD IN PURSE SNATCHING

Prosecutors yesterday charged a Kalihi man in connection with a purse-snatching Sunday at Kamehameha Shopping Center.

Michael Ventura, 28, was charged with second-degree theft and was being held at the main police station cellblock in lieu of $30,000 bail pending his initial appearance today at District Court.

The woman victim, 34, was not injured, police said. The theft was reported at 2:38 p.m. and police working with a description of the suspect located Ventura walking on Gulick Avenue in Kalihi and arrested him at 3:32 p.m.

Police did not disclose whether contents of the purse were recovered.

Ventura has a criminal record that includes eight convictions.

SUSPECT ARRESTED IN NANAKULI THREAT

Charges were pending last night against a 52-year-old man who allegedly threatened another man yesterday morning with a nearly foot-long knife in Nanakuli.

The 42-year-old man who filed the police complaint was not injured in the 7:52 a.m. confrontation.

The suspect, who listed no permanent local address, was arrested on the 89-000 block of Laumania Avenue near Nanakuli Beach Park at 8 a.m. on suspicion of first-degree terroristic threatening.

The suspect is also under investigation for second-degree theft and has an outstanding misdemeanor warrant.

11TH-GRADER WINS MAUI ART CONTEST

Casey Arcangel, a junior at Kamehameha Schools-Maui, was recognized Saturday for his artwork titled "The Music of Life," which was selected as the winner of the 2008 Maui County Young Artists Showcase.

Arcangel, 16, was presented with a $300 cash prize Saturday at the Maui Culture and Arts Day at Maui Mall by Mayor Charmaine Tavares on behalf of the Maui County Sister Cities Foundation.

His artwork will join art from around the world in the 2008 Young Artists Showcase in Washington, D.C. His work will be eligible to be selected for the 10-piece Sister Cities International 2008 showcase that will tour the United States.

Arcangel is the son of Jerilyn Sumibcay and Alika Akahi. He said he has been interested in computer graphics and digital video production since he learned to draw and chose the 'ukulele to illustrate the theme, "A Reflection of Your Community," because "you can hear the strumming of the 'ukulele in my neighborhood, and it is the most basic instrument in Hawai'i that almost everybody can play."