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Jin-Soo Kwon wouldn't go down without a fight. Ditto Daniel Dae Kim.
The Lost star pleaded not guilty to one charge of driving under the influence in a Honolulu court Friday for his arrest back in October and requested a trial date to face the accusation.
The 39-year-old was not present at the hearing; his attorney, Patrick McPherson, entered the plea on the actor's behalf to Honolulu District Judge Alvin Nishimura.
"He made an apology to the state, the people of Hawaii and his fans," McPherson said outside the courtroom. "He pleaded not guilty and requested a trial date."
Putting the kibosh on reports of special treatment, the attorney also said his famous client "has been treated exactly the same by the prosecution, the police and myself as any other defendant would have been treated."
According to traffic court records, Kim's driver's license was revoked on Nov. 19 for a period of six months, a required administrative practice in DUI cases. The license will be reinstated on May 24.
The actor is due to return to court Feb. 15. If he doesn't work out a plea deal and is convicted of the charge, he would face a mandatory 14-hour substance-abuse rehab program and a fine of up to $1,000, in addition to the six-month loss of driving privileges.
Hawaii Five-0 nabbed Kim just after 2:30 a.m. on Oct. 25, when they spotted him driving erratically. Police claim he blew a 0.168 percent blood-alcohol level, more than twice the legal limit of 0.08, surpassing even the "highly intoxicated" benchmark of 0.15 percent.
Kim was booked and released after posting bail.
Two days after his bust, he said he was "deeply ashamed and embarrassed" for what happened but did not specifically cop to drunk driving.
"It saddens me to know that I jeopardized the welfare of the kind people of Hawaii, a community that I love and call my home. It is my intention to cooperate fully with the police, and I am grateful to them for their sensitivity throughout this matter...To those I have disappointed, I can only ask that you accept my heartfelt apologies."
While Kim now apparently claims no wrongdoing, his strategy may be a job-saving tactic as well as a face-saving one. Back in 2005, both Cynthia Watros and Michelle Rodriguez were killed off Lost after pleading guilty to driving under the influence.
According to the Honolulu Advertiser, the alleged DUI isn't Kim's first brush with the law. Per the paper, the actor was also cited for speeding on Oahu in 2006, and in January 2007, he was ticketed for driving without a valid vehicle check.
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