Jurors in an illegal-cockfighting trial in federal court spent Election Day at the movies — watching dozens of grainy, black-and-white videos shot surreptitiously in 2005 by an undercover Honolulu police officer.

The videos were taken in January, February and March 2005 at a popular cockfighting and gambling operation near Waialua Elementary School on O'ahu's North Shore.

They are evidence in a massive criminal case against five defendants, including former Honolulu police sergeant Kevin Brunn.

Other defendants include Brunn's wife, Micha Terragna, Douglas Gilman Sr., and Gilman's sons Douglas Jr. and William.

Brunn and Terragna are charged with conspiracy to operate the gambling business as well as extortion of another man originally charged in the case, Charles Gilman.

Brunn was a sergeant assigned to the Honolulu Police Department's Wahiawa station when the alleged crimes occurred from November 2004 through March 2005.

He has denied wrongdoing and said in court papers that the charges against him are based on false testimony from another original defendant in the case, John Saguibo.

Terragna and Brunn were married after the indictment against them was returned. She has alleged that Charles Gilman was a friend of hers and godfather of her child and that money she received from him was unrelated to the gambling business.

Saguibo and Charles Gilman have pleaded guilty and are expected to testify as prosecution witnesses in the trial.

Two other former HPD officers originally charged in the case, Bryson Apo and Glenn Miram, also entered guilty pleas to charges that they provided advance warnings of police raids to operators of illegal gambling businesses.

Yesterday, HPD gambling detail officer Joseph Hanawahine testified as jurors watched videotapes he shot during repeated undercover visits to the Waialua gambling business in 2005.

The site included two cockfighting "pits" as well as a separate tent where customers could gamble at a craps table and "pepito" card games.

Dozens of customers were shown in attendance at the main cockfighting arena, shouting out bets and encouragement as birds slashed at each other with razor-sharp "gaffs" attached to their legs.

Hanawahine said a secondary pit was put in use when the crowds grew too large at the main arena.

In one of the videos, Hanawahine could be seen drinking a bottle of beer. He explained to the prosecutor, Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Meuhleck, that he drank the beer and occasionally made "side bets" to blend in as a legitimate customer.

HPD rules governing conduct of undercover officers allow them to consume no more than one alcoholic beverage per hour, Hanawahine explained.

The trial is expected to last five weeks. U.S. District Judge Susan Oki Mollway is presiding.