LIHU‘E — Matthew Finer pleaded guilty to second-degree terroristic threatening in Fifth Circuit Court yesterday for threatening an uncle with a fork at the breakfast table in September. As part of the plea agreement, Finer was sentenced and received six
LIHU‘E — Matthew Finer pleaded guilty to second-degree terroristic threatening in Fifth Circuit Court yesterday for threatening an uncle with a fork at the breakfast table in September.
As part of the plea agreement, Finer was sentenced and received six months incarceration and a year probation. He can be released into a drug-treatment facility as soon as he is accepted into a court-accredited program.
Finer, 28, of Kapa‘a, apparently was arguing with his uncle, who lived with him in a family home, and Finer threatened his uncle’s life.
“He was trying to eat breakfast,” said Finer’s lawyer, public defender James Itamura. “None of the parties want to be involved with this.”
According to Itamura, a family member called police because of the length and duration of the argument, and police officers decided the charge was threatening. Itamura contended that the uncle never felt threatened.
The argument began over Finer playing a loud stereo in his room, said Itamura.
County deputy prosecuting attorney Jennifer Winn said she talked to the uncle, and “the victim really wants him to receive (drug) treatment.”
Prosecutors originally charged Finer with first-degree terroristic threatening, a class-C felony that carries a maximum five-year jail sentence.
But Circuit Court Judge Clifford L. Nakea said that if Finer’s story was believed true by a jury, the charges could be dismissed.
Finer accepted the deal anyway, because “I want to get help.”
Nakea asked him, “This is how you’re going to get treatment? You can get treatment without pleading guilty.”
“I can’t afford it,” said Finer.
Itamura had filed a motion to defer acceptance of the guilty plea so that the conviction could eventually be expunged from Finer’s record. Nakea denied it because Finer did not meet the requirements — he had a previous deferral on a trespassing conviction.
In other Circuit Court news:
Laura Ramson, 23, was sentenced to a year in prison after pleading guilty in September to trying to run into her former girlfriend’s car.
Ramson, who originally faced a first-degree attempted murder charge, pleaded guilty in September to first-degree attempted criminal property damage, first-degree terroristic threatening, first-degree assault of a law-enforcement officer, second-degree reckless endangerment, and resisting arrest.
Winn had asked for 10 years, based on the facts of the case. Ramson, Winn said, went to the home of her girlfriend to reconcile. When she was rebuffed, “She got mad.”
She got into her car and tried to ram the victim’s truck, Winn said. The victim took off in the truck, and the two eventually ended up on Rice Street.
Police arrived soon after Ramson blocked the woman in with her vehicle. When police tried to stop her, Winn said, Ramson revved the engine and drove toward a police officer, causing him to jump out of the way.
First Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Craig De Costa said after the plea deal was reached in September that the police officer was in the way of the victim’s truck and Ramson was aiming for the truck.
Nonetheless, Winn said, “These were her purposeful actions. It was one (criminal) action on top of another.”
Itamura, Ramson’s lawyer, painted a much different picture of her.
“Laura is a very timid, quiet girl. She takes advice very well,” Itamura said. “The only reason (the incident occurred) was she was in the subculture of methamphetamine.
“She never intended to hurt anybody,” the lawyer continued. “This was her former partner.
“I think she will respond very well to treatment,” Itamura added.
Ramson herself made a tearful apology. “I’m sorry for what I did,” she said. “Give me a chance.”
Tom Finnegan, staff writer, may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or mailto:tfinnegan@pulitzer.net.
