Also yesterday, Ezra admonished Murakami for statements he and his clients made publicly about the court.

During a news conference last week, the Star-Bulletin reported that the po'o or director of Hui Malama, Edward Halealoha Ayau, said, "We are in a Western court of law trying to explain to Western-trained judges and lawyers our deeply felt cultural values. We are in an inappropriate forum."

Ezra reprimanded Murakami for statements referring to "Western-trained judges, as if some of those, myself included, have no understanding or appreciation" of Hawaiian laws and traditions.

Glaring at Murakami, Ezra said, "I trust your comment wasn't racial. But if you were saying that Caucasian judges cannot understand Hawaiian laws, then I think your comments border on sanctionable."

Ezra also admonished Murakami for other public Hui Malama statements characterizing the dispute as one between "Hawaiians and the federal court."