Editorial: Drop charges on 74-year-old

Published 12:00 am Friday, February 16, 2007

Kenneth Englund, a 74-year-old man facing charges in Isanti County for brandishing a shotgun while chasing a gasoline thief, deserves some clemency.

Law enforcement doesn&8217;t always come through punishment. For instance, with speeding, some people can be given a warning and they truly will slow down. The law is enforced. Job done.

Englund is in the same category.

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The retired farmer confronted Christian Harris Smith on Oct. 15 at a vacant farm near his home. Smith was stealing gas from an automobile. Endlund was armed with a shotgun and chased Smith and a woman while calling the sheriff&8217;s office on a cell phone.

Deputies caught the chase and found the shotgun was unloaded. Englund faced charges of felony assault. Smith, 28, was sentenced last week 90 days in jail for stealing the gas. At the sentencing, Smith spoke in support of Englund: &8220;I don&8217;t think he should be held responsible for, you know, anything involving any of these issues.&8221;

He also said: &8220;I committed a crime and, you know, he did what he probably thought was right to … resolve the situation.&8221;

The charge against Englund was reduced Monday to two misdemeanors of pointing a gun at another person and disorderly conduct. Still, Englund&8217;s lawyer says Englund didn&8217;t point the shotgun at the pair and intends to fight the reduced charges, citing Englund had reasonable force. Englund has overwhelming support from the Cambridge community, which like most of rural Minnesota faces property crimes.

If the prosecutor drops the charges, Englund &8212; especially at his age &8212; probably gets the message to be careful about what he does with his shotgun.

Law enforced.