LIHUE — Thou shalt not swear at church. Or at the church person. A verbal confrontation between a church worker and a man who was there to receive a meal resulted in a petty misdemeanor harassment conviction. Jeffrey Peter Miller,
LIHUE — Thou shalt not swear at church. Or at the church person.
A verbal confrontation between a church worker and a man who was there to receive a meal resulted in a petty misdemeanor harassment conviction.
Jeffrey Peter Miller, 53, of Kapaa, was sentenced to five days jail and a six-month probation on Wednesday in 5th Circuit Court. He pleaded no contest to the charge on March 18.
Miller was arrested and charged with harassment and resisting arrest at 4:15 p.m. on Aug. 18, 2012. The charges were later amended to harassment, resisting an order and making a terroristic threat.
State Deputy Public Defender Christopher Donahoe said the defendant acted out of character and is remorseful. He said the incident unfolded when Miller was walking alongside the church while carrying a beverage.
“The church worker thanked Williams for not urinating on the side of the church and then called him a homeless, dirty hippy,” Donahoe said. “He was offended and has since apologized for his actions.”
County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Shauna Lee Cahill said Williams considers himself a victim when he was drinking alcohol and directed very harsh and vulgar language at the worker.
Miller said he was carrying a glass containing apple juice.
He doesn’t believe in drinking out of plastic, he said.
Judge Kathleen Watanabe said she understood that Miller suffers from a debilitating illness, and that he had lost both parents four months prior to the incident.
Still, she said there was no excuse for the “vulgar and ugly language” that he expressed in front of everyone present at the church.
The court also ordered Miller to stay away from the victim in the case.
• Tom LaVenture, staff writer, can be reached at 245-0424 or by emailing tlaventure@thegardenisland.com.
