State-Journal.com - Alleged gunmen plead innocent

Photo By Kelly MackeyChristopher Beagle Sr., right, pleads innocent to wanton endangerment in Franklin Circuit Court Friday with his temporary attorney Rodney Barnes.

Photo By Kelly MackeyMitchell Engler, left, pleads innocent to wanton endangerment in Franklin Circuit Court Friday with his temporary attorney Rodney Barnes.

Photo By Kelly MackeyChristopher Beagle Jr., left, pleads innocent to wanton endangerment in Franklin Circuit Court Friday with his temporary attorney Rodney Barnes.

Photo By Kelly MackeyAnthony Engler, right, pleads innocent to wanton endangerment in Franklin Circuit Court Friday with his temporary attorney Scott Getsinger.

The four men arrested after a shootout between their Bald Knob residences have pleaded innocent and the court and attorneys are trying to figure out how they should be represented.

Christopher T. Beagle Sr., 41, and Christopher T. Beagle Jr., 18, Mitchell Engler, 52, and Anthony Engler, 32, appeared in court Friday to answer to multiple wanton endangerment charges from the Sept. 9 arrest.

Attorneys in Franklin Circuit Court said there's a conflict of interest if they're to be represented by the Department of Public Advocacy, though public defenders were on hand for the arraignment.

Mitch Engler, along with his wife, April, have a separate pending indictment in circuit court after a pickup stolen in Berea wound up in their driveway. Public defender Kristin Gonzalez is handling the case.

Attorneys said the cause of the long-standing feud " who started the shooting and why " is not clear. It involves the pairs of fathers and sons allegedly shooting at one another between their residences on St. Johns Road.

Prosecutors said the case got more complicated when all four requested a public defender.

Because of the Englers' pending case, Judge Phillip Shepherd ordered the DPA to find conflict council for the Beagles " a private attorney paid by the state will represent them. It's not immediately known who will handle the case.

Though the DPA is representing Mitchell Engler and his wife for the unrelated charge, Shepherd questioned in court whether he deserved public representation because he was able to post a $10,000 full cash bond.

Shepherd directed Engler, who said in court he is "on disability," to get his own attorney. Shepherd said if Engler or his family could afford the $10,000 bond, he could afford to pay for his own council.

Engler, whose son is still being held at the Franklin County Regional Jail along with the Beagles, was ordered to contact three attorneys before asking for a public defender again.

At the time of the arraignments, Christopher T. Beagle Sr. asked the court to consider reducing his bond or "OR-ing" him " releasing him on his own recognizance.

Beagle promised to the court that he would not cause trouble if released. Beagle said his wife is afraid to be at their residence and only visits it every other day to feed their dogs.

"I don't want her to be there," Beagle said.

Beagle told the court items from his house have been disappearing and he suspected the Englers were to blame.

Beagle's mother, Dorothy Pointer, 65, who came to court in support of her son and grandson, told The State Journal Friday the feud is taking its toll on her family.

"I'm scared to go anywhere," Pointer said. "They're threatening my life."
In tears, Pointer gestured at Mitch and April Engler, sitting on the other side of the courtroom. "I don't see how they can get by with everything they're doing, " Pointer said.

Pointer said trouble between the Englers and Beagles began at a Christmas party in 2007.

"They were drinking," she said.
Larry T. Engler, 36, allegedly stabbed Beagle in the thigh, state police said at the time of the 2007 incident.

State police Det. Kevin Calhoun said at the time Engler was charged with second-degree assault and taken to Franklin County Regional Jail and released later that day.

Calhoun said at the time a fistfight at a trailer at 388 St. Johns Road escalated to the use of weapons, though Beagle's injuries were not life-threatening.

A phone call to a number listed as the Englers' went unanswered Friday.
Shepherd said in court Friday each of the Beagles' and Englers' cases would be set for a trial date.

Attorneys would likely be appointed next week, Shepherd said.
State police said they were called to the area the afternoon of Sept. 9 for reports of gunfire.

Officers arrested Mitch Engler and Christopher Beagle Sr. and confiscated two weapons, police said.

State troopers said they returned around 6:30 the same evening to arrest Anthony Engler and Christopher Beagle Jr. after receiving a report of a second volley of shots.

Police said at the time of the second arrests they confiscated eight additional weapons.

Anthony Engler is formally charged with two counts of wanton endangerment, Mitch Engler four counts and Christopher Beagle Jr. twelve counts.

Christopher T. Beagle Sr. is charged with nine counts of wanton endangerment and two counts of second-degree assault.

34.	Posted by mizkrizpy October 2, 2008
	first AND FORMOST I Hve known the beagles since i was a yougin, and they are one of the best people i've ever known. Niether of those men would ever harm a little girl!!! Besides that beacause we all kno that is a crock. If you want to bring up rape, christina woods has went for little boys since i've known of her and she has a charge as we speak of raping a 15 year old boy.So now we have gotten that issue straight! About Bub And Big Chris "crack heads" are you serious! Never ever have they picked up a pipe never would. drink maybe, but crack never your looking in the wrong direction turn around and start over because they've never been that!!!! The pool. . . are you talkin about the $10 blow up pool.If you really want to get started on pools look beside the englers house you'll see a 4ft stand up NOT BLOW UP pool that was stolen from wal-mart at a $400.00 dollar value, all for free. There nicely decorated landscape yeah it was free, also stolen from kroger on this one.so we see the thieves and the real wrong people in this situation. Now talking about the first incident with the stabin. It wasn't only a stabin when Thomas E. used a baseball bat to mutalate big chris yeah. In the head where he had to recieve 20 stitches in his head.Thomas E. got arrested and was setting in his house 12 hours later whating himself on the news i'm sure he was gloating. I mean who nearly kills someone, anybody and gets out 12 hours later.Well. .. i guess the people who are defending the englers must be the people that the englers keep supplied with drugs.you know who you are(PILLS.) So now you tell me where is the justice in this???????????? Kim N Shea

33.	Posted by Honey October 2, 2008
	#15 - you are so great at twisting things! You want to know how I know the Engler family? It is not because I associate with them but because I have worked with several charities that have given to them and I have been personally contacted by Mrs. Engler for assistance with her sister and others to pay for propane and electric bills! Each year at the holidays, we prepare things for many family's and they are just one of them. I can not condone anyone who is a Christian that would not talk to them. They are a family that needs to know that God loves them and that He is there for them. I really believe that if the family had a relationship with God that they might think about the consequences of there actions. (Just so everyone knows, I do not know if the Engler family is religious) Everyone deserves to be treated with respect! I stated before that I am sorry Mr. Engler is dying but my question for you is why should the community have to pay to defend him or the men involved? There were innocent people there such as Mrs. Englers sister who do not deserve to live in such an enviroment. I think that it is commendable of you to bail out Mr. Engler under the circumstances but he is still responsible for his actions. Why did you bail him out? The last I heard the jail was capable of handing out meds but I have no experience with the jail system. Just so you know, I used my parents as an example, as to how my family has given and continues to give to the needy of Frankfort. I am so proud of what my parents did, the sacrifice they made for others! I learned from them the value of community service and just how important it is that you never give up on people. Also, I do have a job!!! This is a blog so your coments about me not posting mine hear are completely unfair! If you don't like what someone blogs about - you can always go to another site! This is part of our liberties! Have I ever verbally attacked you? Yes, I admit after reading (#1)my first comment, it was harsh but I wrote how I felt at the moment. My comments about the Englers was based on my personal experience with them. Furthermore, it is crazy to think that grown men would be have in this manner! As Dr. Seuss stated, "Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."

29.	Posted by mizkrizpy October 1, 2008
	people on here are is ignorant, no i'm actually 20 and very well educated. You all keep defending the Engler's, God knows the truth, and I wouldn't be wasting my time if I really thought my family did something wrong. These people downgrade eachother, and they are family. They are violent towards eachother. You all keep defending these people. They are cowards, Mitchell tried getting a public defender when his family bailed him out for 10K? Coward. My dad was shooting in self defense. I know this for a fact. You all don't. That's why you keep talking BS. Wat are u just gonna stand there if a felon that went to prison for 10 years for trying to kill someone, aimed a gun and shot at you? Of course waddauthink would b/c they honor these people. My dad got 9-12 counts b/c thats how many people was in the trailer. There is NO gun shots in the trailer. The cops of franklin county obviously don't know what they're doing, as they didn't charge any of the Englers with felon with firearms. Our legislators need to know about this situation, and further investigation is needed. Franklin county is sleeping on this, and needs to take it more seriously instead of just asking them if they plead guilty or not guilty. That's all they've done the past 3 court dates. Wheres the photos the cops supposedly took the day of the crisis? Why isn't this being brought up in court? I want to know who says a 12 gauge shotgun will only crack a piece of a glass window...These people are cowards,and anyone that defends them aren't any better then they are.

27.	Posted by waddauthink October 1, 2008
	Wow.. how old are you mizkrizpy? 15? You have dogged out anyone that has said anything about the situation. If they don't have anything nice to say about your great dad and bub, that do no wrong, you say something smart to them. Ibdeb was just offering a suggestion and you jump down his/her throat. Of course you people have no kind of anger issues right? And the police are lying on you too because they are scared of the Englers? That is why they have 9-12 charges? The police just put it all on your innocent dad and brother. How crazy are you? Thomas was in your dads house because he seemed "half intelligent and respectful to set and have a few beers" and all the sudden he just jumped up and started stabbing him? Wow. Guess he is crazy. I'm sure no drugs were involved at all. I have not once said that the Englers were right in what they did. They should not have done what they did. You, however, are really trying to make people believe that your dad and brother have done no wrong. Please. They have never been in trouble before? Are you sure about that? Come on, now, criminal records are public for anyone to see. The little girl wasn't raped? Tony was just mad because he lost custody? She is 12. She has lived with them until a few months ago. Her mother did a great job up until now, but I'm sure you already knew that, too. She didn't have her until then, so give her the mother of the year award. Why wouldn't she try for custody before now if he was such a loser father? Maybe because she is worse as a mother? Yes, that would be the case. the little girl didn't get raped until she went to live her mom either, did she? And, the cops just arrested your dad and brother for no reason because your dad's trailer had all the bullet holes and theres had none. The only one is the one that looks like a rock was thrown at it to set someone up. Yet, your dad is charged with 9 counts of wanton endangerment and 2nd degree assault. Your brother with 12 counts of wanton endangerment. Tony is charged with two and Mitchell with 4. The only reason they got charged with so many is because the police believed the Englers, who have been locked up so many times, over your dad and brother who have never been in trouble. After they came out twice and looked at both places, they seen all the bullet holes in your dad's trailer and none in the Englers, but they came to the conclusion that your dad and your brother needed that many counts for no reason. Hmmm.. that just doesn't add up. But, I am sure you will explain. The Englers are certainly not in the right, but don't try to say that your dad and brother aren't either because no one is buying that crap!