Paper-cutter blade threat leads to a 6-month jail term

WAILUKU -- A homeless man is serving a six-month jail term for threatening a Kahului store manager with a paper-cutter blade.

Eugene Bingham, 57, was seen taking apart the paper cutter in Office Max when the manager tried to stop the defendant at about 3:30 p.m. Oct. 5, said Deputy Prosecutor Joanne Hicks.

She said Bingham held the blade in a way that caused the manager to feel threatened. Bingham said, "Don't stop me, I was in the military," while leaving the store with the blade, Hicks said.

At his sentencing Friday, Bingham said he wasn't trying to hurt anyone that day.

"I was assaulted the night before," he said. "It was where I was sleeping. I was freaked out. I really wanted something to have in my backpack."

Bingham had pleaded no contest to first-degree terroristic threatening and fourth-degree theft, with a first-degree robbery charge dismissed in exchange for his pleas.

While acknowledging that Bingham's behavior scared the manager, Deputy Public Defender Danielle Sears said Bingham was "crying for help."

She said Bingham has mental health issues and wanted to find something to protect himself from being hurt by others on the street.

Hicks said Bingham's criminal record includes similar offenses, including a conviction for assault with a menacing simulated weapon in Colorado. He was sentenced in December 2018 to two years' probation in that case, Hicks said.

"There are other means of trying to get help other than taking items and threatening another person," she said.

Second Circuit Judge Rhonda Loo said Bingham "took it one step beyond" when he threatened the manager that day.

"The problem is when you take it out on other people, innocent people," Loo said. "No one deserves to get threatened."

Bingham was ordered to perform 200 hours of community service as part of four years' probation. He was ordered not to consume alcohol or illegal drugs and to stay away from Office Max and the manager.

Bingham was ordered to write a letter apologizing to the manager.

* Lila Fujimoto can be reached at lfujimoto@mauinews.com.