Free Republic

Jurors say Mielke should not have entered church TRIAL: But pastor had a right to check on chapel, arm himself, they say. By S.J. KOMARNITSKY and ZAZ HOLLANDER Anchorage Daily News (Published: October 29, 2003) The Big Lake pastor who shot and killed two men he caught burglarizing his chapel before dawn on an April morning should never have gone into the church in the first place, said three of the jurors who deliberated on the case. But those same jurors also said that the Rev. Phillip Mielke had a legal right to check on the chapel -- and deserved...

<p>A jury of five men and seven women deliberated a day and half before finding the Rev. Phillip Mielke, 44, not guilty on four counts of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide.</p> <p>Mielke stood passively and showed no visible emotion as the verdict was read, except for smiling slightly at his attorney, Jim Gilmore. Afterward, he said only "we're happy it's over," then refused to answer further questions.</p>

<p>Jury must decide whether pastor acted reasonably MIELKE: Defense, prosecution rest in case against preacher.</p> <p>A pistol-packing preacher used deadly force to defend an unoccupied building containing little of value and killed two men who were just trying to get away, prosecutor Bob Collins said Thursday as the case against Big Lake minister Phillip Mielke wrapped up and went to the jury.</p>