Criminal charges against a former Port Townsend High School math teacher would be dropped if he keeps his nose clean for two years, according to an agreement between his attorney and the prosecutor.

If James “Jim” Keith Miller, 52, of Port Angeles violates the terms of that agreement, a judge would sentence him based solely on the contents of the police reports that underpin the charges, which have been reduced from second-degree burglary and felony harassment to criminal trespassing and misdemeanor harassment.

“I think it's a fair resolution of the case,” defense attorney Richard Davies said.

Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Julie St. Marie agreed, saying, “I think it's a great resolution.”

Miller was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1985, according to court records, and had been in a heightened manic state during the months leading up to his arrest, according to a state psychologist who evaluated Miller in April 2016.

“The difficulty was fitting mental health issues into a criminal case and finding a just resolution that encourages Dr. Miller to get healthy and make sure the community's safe,” Davies said of Miller, who holds a doctorate in mathematics from Washington State University and has taught at Port Townsend High School since 2010.

“I would call it a success,” said St. Marie, “as far as the court system working well to get services in place for a person who needs them.”

The agreement requires that Miller maintain a counseling and medication regimen, filing compliance reports with the court every 90 days.

“I really have confidence that if that medication regimen is maintained, we won't have any other problems with Mr. Miller,” St. Marie said.

Miller allegedly threatened to kill the school's principal March 18 during an off-campus meeting with school district officials, and later that day entered his former classroom. He had been placed on paid administrative leave and banned from campus Feb. 4.

St. Marie said in court Aug. 12 that the principal, Carrie Ehrhardt, had approved of the agreement, which extends for two years a no-contact order, originally signed March 21, that protects Ehrhardt.

“I think Mrs. Ehrhardt understood the nature of the underlying problem, as did the prosecutor's office,” Davies said.

The agreement also extends a requirement that Miller not contact school district employees or students, or go within 1,000 feet of school district property.

“A lot of times if you can settle these cases, it's better for everyone involved,” said Judge Keith Harper, who presided over the case in Jefferson County Superior Court.

On the recommendation of a state psychologist who in April evaluated Miller's competency to stand trial, the court ordered Miller to undergo in-patient psychiatric treatment at Cascade Behavioral Health in Tukwila, Washington, to restore his competency to assist in his own defense.

Upon completion of that treatment in May, the court found Miller competent and released him from custody, placing him on electronic home monitoring through June.

After the Aug. 12 hearing, Miller said he knows he's rolling the dice by accepting the agreement, but he also said he's confident he will keep up with his medication and weekly counseling sessions.

Finding a new job will inevitably be difficult, Davies said.

“It's difficult to erase the fact that he was arrested, but when asked if he has ever been convicted of a crime, his answer can be no,” Davies said.

Miller said he doesn't plan to hide what precipitated his arrest – an unchecked manic episode – from potential employers.

Said St. Marie, “I think everybody recognizes that Mr. Miller is an otherwise productive member of society who unfortunately had a period of instability due to his bipolar disorder.”