By Heather Rawlyk
The Capital
EDGEWATER, Md. — An Edgewater man was not trying to kill a county Sheriff’s Office deputy when he wielded a gold-handled, 4-foot sword as the deputy attempted to serve a protective order against him two years ago, a county jury decided Wednesday.
Following a two-day trial, Michael Richard Beach, 46, was found guilty of one lesser count: reckless endangerment.
Beach, who is diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, is expected to be committed to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene at a hearing before Circuit Court Judge Michele D. Jaklitsch on Wednesday.
Wearing a dark blue sweater and white collared shirt, Beach stared forward as prosecutors recounted the incident at his mother’s home that led to his arrest.
Martha Beach had gotten a temporary protective order against her son, stating he had paranoid schizophrenia, was off his medication and was accusing her of killing his father, who died of a heart attack more than a decade ago.
District Public Defender William Davis said Martha Beach got the order in an attempt to get her son mental health help.
It was “all she could do to get the help needed,” he said during opening statements.
On March 29, 2011, Deputy James Eisenhauer arrived alone at the home just after 4 p.m. to serve Michael Beach an order to vacate the residence.
Martha Beach greeted the deputy at the door. She was surprised to see he was alone and asked where his backup was.
Without warning, Michael Beach appeared with the ornamental weapon in hand, prosecutors said. Holding the weapon for the jury to see, Assistant State’s Attorney Matthew Chalker said Beach lunged forward, thrusting the sword just an inch from the deputy’s midsection.
He said Eisenhauer dove off the porch and drew his service weapon. Eisenhauer later testified he aimed his gun at the doorway, but did not shoot because Beach already had fled down a hallway to the back of the home.
The incident ended after a six-hour standoff with county police.
Chalker said it was Eisenhauer’s 40 years of experience in law enforcement that saved his life that day.
But Davis countered it was Eisenhauer’s lack of preparation that caused the incident to escalate.
“He was prepared to fail,” Davis said during closing arguments.
Davis questioned why Eisenhauer showed up to the house without assistance. If the deputy read the order, the potential danger for violence should have been clear, he said.
Eisenhauer testified that he read the order in its entirety.
“With 40 years experience, you didn’t think it was necessary to get more information or call for backup?” Davis asked.
“No sir,” Eisenhauer answered.
There is no requirement that deputies must have backup while serving temporary protection orders.
Davis proposed that Eisenhauer did not dive from the porch, but fell off as he backed away after seeing Beach with the sword. Taking a couple steps backward, Davis fell backward and rolled on the courtroom floor to demonstrate his theory.
He said Beach never had the chance to hurt Eisenhauer because the deputy was never in harm’s way.
Eisenhauer excused himself from the courtroom midway through Davis’ closing argument.
Martha Beach sat through the trial but was not in court to hear the verdict.
In a voicemail message left Friday morning, Martha Beach said “justice was done.”
“Michael had no intention of hurting anybody,” she said.
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