Not Guilty Pleas Entered in Beating Death of Lansdale Man

Three Philadelphia men accused of beating a man to death outside Citizens Bank Park in July 2009 entered not guilty pleas in Philadelphia court today.

James Groves, 48, of the 800 block of East Almond Street, and Charles Bowers, 37, of the 6100 block of Bustleton Avenue, each face third-degree murder charges, and Francis Kirchner faces a first-degree murder charge, and life without parole, if convicted in the death of David Sale Jr., 22, who was beat severely after he spilled a beer inside McFadden's during a bachelor party.

Prosecutors said Kirchner delivered the fatal blow to Sale. Bowers and Groves faces 20 to 40 years in prison each if convicted.

According to police and 6abc.com, the defendants had gone to the game on a trip sponsored by a Fishtown tavern. The feud between the groups allegedly started over a spilled beer.

Defense lawyers have argued that it will be hard to prove who did what during the fight.

According to 6abc, in court on Wednesday, there were back-room negotiations over possible guilty pleas. However, talks fell through.

In opening arguments to the jury, assistant district attorney Richard Sax said Sale was on the ground defenseless when Kirchner "teed him up like a football and punted his head, causing massive hemorrhage of the brain."

Kirchner's lawyer, Jack McMahon, said Sale did not deserve to die, but he was a "drunken, arrogant, obnoxious, rude, fighting person that night, caught up in a classic melee."