Isanti 'Town Hero' Charged with Felon

MyFox Twin Cities ^ | 1-30-07

[oursacredhonor]

In their rural farmhouse, the kitchen table is filled with letters of support, after Kenny Englund, 74, help police catch two people stealing gasoline from a neighbors property.

“I waved my shotgun at them and I said, ‘Stay right there, I’m calling the sheriff,’” Englund said.

The Isanti County Sheriff says Englund crossed a line.

“Unless your physical life is threatened, you should not take the law into your own hands,” Sheriff Mike Ammend said.

“They booked me into jail, fingerprinted, mugshot – the whole ball of wax,” Englund said.

Englund was not charged the day of the incident, but more than two months after his citizens’ arrests with an unloaded shotgun, he now faces a felony charge of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon.

“His motive was to hold him there, keep him there, but his intent was to use a weapon in such a way that they’d be afraid he was going to shoot them if they left,” Dep. County Attorney Dan Colin said.

Englund says he was only trying to help out law enforcement, even staying on the phone while chasing the suspects.

“My thought is, they should give me a plaque for catching a felon,” Englund said. “But it didn’t work that way.”

The town has come together and rallied around Englund. 350 people attended a benefit to defray his mounting legal expenses. Those people have signed a petition, saying they want the charges dropped.

[goldstategop]

Its ridiculous! He's being charged with a FELONY for helping the police catch two robbers?? It reminds me of the old saying no good deed goes unpunished.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[sourcery]

If it's felony for a private citizen to apprehend a criminal, then it's also a felony for the police to do so. The police do not have noble status, and have no Constitutional power, right or authority any citizen does not also have. We are all equal under the law (this disgusting prosecution nothwithstanding.)

[skr]

With an unloaded gun yet.

[sport]

Now he knows.

[Arkinsaw]

This can be stopped if the people want it stopped.

[First_Salute]

1) The law is in our hands - we are sovereign. Gov't officials who spout off at the mouth with that phrase about "taking the law into your own hands" have seen too many movies. Furthermore, this man, the arresting citizen, made no act at all, that can qualify as his summarily / arbitrarily / capriciously acting as judge, jury, and executioner of some sentence of his own making - meaning, that, evidently from the above story, he most certainly was not acting as a "vigilante."

2) He made a lawful citizen's arrest that is actually more common than reported in the national or state-wide news media.

3) The arresting officer(s) should be severly reprimanded by the Minnesota State's attorney's office and reminded of the rights of American citizens to make an arrest - including that it is the duty of American citizens to make an arrest, to uphold the law, in the absence of law enforcement personnel --- especially when there is perceived by the arresting citizen(s) a potential threat of violence from the person(s) in violation of the law.

[sport]

That was then. This is now. Two different times. Two different worlds.

If you don't want to learn the hard way how much power the police have, don't question their authority.

And yes, I can remember when we used to all be equal under the law and was considered innocent until proven guilty.

But that was then and this is now.

[School of Rational Thought]

Maybe the cops thought Englund was with the border patro

[mplsconservative]

For your ping list.

Incredible!

[oursacredhonor]

"If you don't want to learn the hard way how much power the police have, don't question their authority."

How did he "question their authority" when the police weren't even at the scene when he committed his "crime"?

[oursacredhonor]

County Attorney's contact information:

Attorney (763) 689-2253

Jeffrey R. Edblad, County Attorney

[sport]

Now if you look at an officer or say "How are you", or say "why" to them you question their authority. This I learned the hard way.

I once beleved that so long as you did not violate the law, the police were your friends. This is what I taught my children and grandchildren. In the last two years I have had to rethink that. Now I just let them alone.

[rock_lobsta]

They may have found out that he was a registered Republican, and by nabbing him on a felony... Well, that's one less GOP voter to get in the way.

Now, I'm just speculating on the man's political party. For all I know, he's DFL.

[Frank_2001]

Can't have the peasants running around with guns trying to apprehend lawbreakers-they may become difficult to control;)

[Freedom_no_exceptions]

"...his intent was to use a weapon in such a way that they’d be afraid he was going to shoot them if they left," Dep. County Attorney Dan Colin said.

I'm an attorney, and I stand by and abide by the oath I took upon admission to the bar, but I have no "respect" for "the law." I mention this from time-to-time on FR, and when I get flamed, I remind the flamer that respect has to be EARNED. Here's a good example of how NOT to earn it.

[therut]

This is stupid. Hackett pointed a loaded AR-15 with one in the chamber and a 15 round clip at three men who ran over his fence. No charges. I disagree with this... My Dad did the same in Arkansas and no charges were even thought about.

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

This CRAP has to be going on up north.

[Buddy B]

Jeffrey R. Edblad
Isanti County Attorney
555 18th Avenue SW
Cambridge, MN 55008

The Minnesota County Attorneys Association

[geopyg]

I saw some guy with a backpack running thorugh the lawns of my neighborhood. I grabbed my shotgun and was coming out the patio door when he jumped over my fence. I yelled "hey" and he jumped back over about twice as fast!

I called 9-11 but before I could hang up a cop was out front in his squad car. I ran out (minus the gun) to point which way the guy ran. I wasn't about to say that I scared him off and had a gun in my hand! (I just happened to be cleaning it when...)

"Brandishing" I believe is the term used and is illegal in minor situations such as arguing and then opening your coat to show a weapon to get the other guy to shut up.

In the article the guys were in a neighbor's yard so that may be a key point. In my state you can use a firearm to stop or prevent a felony from occuring or the felon from escaping. I guess it might take a lot of gas to be a felony! (Could always put the neighbor's "stolen car" next to the bodies if need be.)