By Patricia Doty Staff Writer
February 03, 2001, Saturday, City Edition
Copyright 2001 The Indianapolis Star
The Indianapolis Star
February 03, 2001, Saturday, City Edition
(LEBANON, Ind.) -- A special prosecutor has been named in the investigation of a scuffle involving two Boone County Sheriff’s deputies.
Clinton County Prosecutor Louis Evans will decide if formal charges will be filed in the case of Deputies John W. Beard and Bob Anderson.
Evans will prosecute the case if charges are filed.
Boone County Prosecutor John Buchanan requested the appointment in Boone Circuit Court on Jan. 22, noting that the close working relationship between his office and the Sheriff’s Department could give a definite appearance of impropriety were he to make the decision on charging the officers.
Authorities say Beard and Anderson are being investigated for a fight that occurred about 10 p.m. Jan. 14 at a Zionsville pizza restaurant.
Buchanan said he will forward a tape made by the Zionsville Police Department and other materials to Evans so he can begin his investigation.
Detective Randy Eads of the Zionsville Police Department said he investigated the incident and forwarded his report to the Boone County prosecutor’s office.
Eads said a fight, which he described as “horseplay that got carried away,” broke out between Beard and Anderson while they were dining with Boone County Deputy R.T. Krise.
Eads said Krise stepped in to break up the altercation.
“Krise was at the restaurant just trying to calm everyone down,” Eads said. “He was the good guy. He was playing referee.”
Eads said Beard filed a battery report against Anderson, but witnesses in the restaurant said Beard struck first. Eads said Krise was hit when he tried to break up the fight.
He said Beard called the next day and said he wanted to drop the battery charges against Anderson.
Sheriff Dennis Brannon suspended Beard with pay after a determination by the Merit Board.
Brannon said Beard submitted a letter of resignation Jan. 15.
The Merit Board has not met to consider the resignation, Brannon said, but Beard has not worked since the incident.
Terms and Conditions
Copyright©2000 LEXIS-NEXIS, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights Reserved.