Will there be a manslaughter charge in beating death?
WABASH CO.—In the current edition of Disclosure, on stands now, is an article about a battery involving a Jeremy Birkla, 19, beating the piss out of another guy, Billy Gunzel, 23, both of Mt. Carmel.
Billy Gunzel
Birkla was apprehended after the September 25 incident and charged with Aggravated Battery/Great Bodily Harm, a Class 3 felony.
However, this morning, shortly after 7 a.m., Gunzel died of the injuries he received in the beating; specifically, head injuries. Authorities are awaiting the results of an autopsy, to be conducted in Evansville (where he died, as he was in Deaconess there for his injuries) that was to have been performed a couple of hours ago, 4 p.m., to see the result and what can be attributed to the actual cause of death from those specific injuries.
However, whether or not other charges will be filed against Birkla—who is out on bond—remains to be seen.
Seems like there have been quite a few beatings and drug-induced incidents in Wabash County that go unaddressed as far as the seriousness of them is concerned, this occurring over the past few years. As a matter of fact, we recall another Birkla kid who, according to his family members, was ingesting all manner of dope into his system a few years back down at the river, and, with a couple of “friends,” managed to overdose….with their “help.” However, neither one of them were EVER charged with anything, even though the drug-induced homicide law had just gone into effect at the time. His family implored us desperately to help, but none was to be found.
Jeremy Birkla
Can’t help but wonder his connection with this Birkla, if there is any at all.
But the problem remains unaddressed: there are a lot of people getting away with a lot of things in Wabash County. We know it’s not because of lack of law enforcement expertise—Sheriff Joe Keeling and Mt. Carmel Police Chief Jeff Besing between them have decades of police work under their belts.
The problem may be, however, in the prosecutor, Cassandra Goldman, who has been one of the most do-nothing prosecutors the county has seen since Terry Kaid. Goldman doesn’t want to step on any toes, and makes plea deals as often as possible and as lamely as possible in order to keep the influential parents of rotten kids happy and voting for her again. And since we’ve got an election year rolling around, that might be the case this time.
Of course, we don’t know the Birklas or Gunzels (although the Birkla kid looks like an absolute PUNK), and they may not hold the influence some in the area do. So that story may be told when we see how/if further charges are filed. But we won’t hold our breaths.
Short URL: http://www.disclosurenewsonline.com/?p=10212
Posted by Jack Howser
on Oct 12 2011. Filed under Breaking, Wabash.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0.
You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
I feel for the family that lost their son at such a young age. If anyone will attempt to hold the prosecutor accountable we all know it will be the two of you. How Goldman thinks she can side step bringing at least a second degree murder charge if the autopsy provides clarity would be beyond logic. Maybe if she chooses not to seek re-election maybe she and Rands should open up a practice ….. Half-Assed Attorneys, LLC.
OMG….every other attorney in Southern Illinois would need to join THAT group…..!!!!
LOL…I’d like to buy some attorneys for what they’re worth and sell them for what they think they’re worth..hell, I’d be rich and spread my wealth to everyone!!
@Sweets: I wish there was a “like” button for comments….I’d be clicking it for your comment over and over and over…
….hey, maybe I need a t-shirt that says that…..
LOL..almost better than the one Hannah & I were gonna get ya….DILLIGAF…Do I Look Like I Give A F**K, huh? I’ll ask Ang your size & hers, then I will have em made for ya!!!
Jack, they’ve upgraded Birkla’s charge to involuntary manslaughter now. He surrendered to authorities Friday night. I knew he had to be into martial arts because of his stance and the way he’s holding his hands in that pic..Cassandra Goldman must read your site here…lol..
Jack, BTW I rounded up…….thats how the 2 of them equated to Half-Assed
LOL…have you ever SEEN Cassandra Goldman, T L? As far as dimensions go, there isn’t anything “half” about her….I’ll refrain from commenting any further. Perhaps our fine Wabash readers will elaborate for me & save me from the recrimination….LOL….
I have not seen her, but I gather she has defeated anorexia. Safe to assume she is the perfect woman, can keep a man warm and the winter and provide plenty of shade in the summer ……. LMAO!!!!
ROTFL!!!!!! You’re too kind….
Does she have rhinestones in her rhino-ass size jeans?
Amen to that. Even Cory Easton out of belleville as well as Blake and Allen out of Belleville. Heck I have met some fine attorneys but none that I would trust any farther than I could throw them
Anybody have anything on the string of burglaries in Marion? 24 burglaries in 12 days. Eibeck says “no pattern”. Bravo Foxtrot!! Just take pins and put them in the street map where they say the burglaries took place, and you can come up with a reasonable as the the “who” involved.NEWSFLASH: take a look at the demographic shift in Marion over the last 10 years or at least since Katrina… Again those bozos in city hall keep us in the dark, and it looks as if the popo are tiptoeing around the PC issues.
Same thing happened down on the Gulf Coast. We went on vacation in 08 and Ang was guiding me around all the quaint little places from when she lived there in the 80s and 90s, and they were full of beaten-up trailers and the inherent trailer trash that went along with it. Crime was skyrocketing in Baldwin County and no one would say why….but they all knew….Katrina ‘refugees’ came over to spend a week & decided they liked it, and set up shop there. Hell, they’ve got a freakin barrio between Point Clear and Foley. It’s sickening.
Geez. I meant “Bravo Sierra” -it’s been 45 yrs since I wore the uniform…I think it’s time for some chlorine in the gene pool.