By DIANE LEDERMAN

and TED LABORDE

Staff writers



Lawyers representing the Westfield Sportsman's Club said Friday the club is innocent of any wrongdoing in the death of an 8-year-old boy who accidentally shot himself in the head with a Micro Uzi submachine gun at the club in October.



Meanwhile, a lawyer representing Pelham Police Chief Edward B. Fleury, who was charged in the death because he owns the company that co-sponsored the gun show, also denied Friday that his client is responsible.



Northampton lawyer Charles F. Ksieniewicz, one of two lawyers representing Fleury, said Friday "We were disappointed in the indictment. We intend to defend it."



The club, Fleury and two other men were indicted Thursday on involuntary manslaughter counts in the death of 8-year-old Christopher J. Bizilj of Ashford, Conn., who accidentally shot himself in the head at the Machine Gun Shoot and Firearms Expo Oct. 26 at the sportsman's club.



The sportsmen's club will enter a plea of not guilty when it is arraigned on a charge of involuntary manslaughter, lawyers for the club said Friday.



The club will also deny allegations that it furnished a machine gun to minors for use during the gun show on the club grounds on Furrowtown Road, said attorneys Thomas "Tom" Drechasler, of Boston, and Edward F. George Jr., of Malden.



Drechasler will represent the club during criminal proceedings in Hampden County Superior Court, while George will defend the club in any civil complaints that may be filed as a result of the charges filed against it Thursday by Hampden County District Attorney William M. Bennett.



"The club is a corporation and a sportsmen's association established in 1949. It is a non-profit organization run by volunteers and has never experienced an incident like this in its history," Drechasler said.



He said the club did not furnish machine guns to minors during the Oct. 26 event; they were provided "by other entities which were not acting as agents of Westfield Sportsman's Club."



Drechasler and George said that as a corporation, officers of the club will not be required to be present during court arraignment. They also said club officers have been advised not to discuss the case with the media. However, Drechasler said he does expect club representatives will attend the court proceedings.



In Pelham, selectmen said they will continue to talk to town counsel about their options regarding the police chief. On Monday, at the board's regularly scheduled meeting, selectmen will officially appoint Lt. Gary L. Thomann as acting chief. Thomann has informally been acting chief since the shooting.



Fleury is the owner of COP Firearms & Training, a private company owned by Fleury and co-sponsor of the gun show.



Also indicted on involuntary manslaughter charges were two other individuals, identified in court records as Carl Giuffre, of Hartford, and Domenico Spano, of New Milford, Conn. Fleury and the sportsman's club were each also indicted by a Hampden Superior Court grand jury on four counts of furnishing a machine gun to a person under 18.



The boy's father, Dr. Charles Bizilj, who was reaching for his camera when his son was shot, was not charged.



Fleury has not commented since the accident, although he did release a statement through his lawyers expressing his sorrow for the accident and pledging to cooperate with investigators. He continues to remain out of work on paid sick leave, Selectman Edward C. Martin said Friday.



Martin, police liaison, said Thomann has been with the department for more than a decade. Selectmen have also promoted reserve officer Christopher Rice to a part-time position "to make up some of the time" caused by Fleury's absence, he said.



The board would not comment on whether Fleury will be asked to resign or take a leave of absence.



"Chief Fleury is still on sick leave. We are aware of the indictments against him," said Chairman William R. Martell. "We are in contact with town counsel regarding our options."



Other than appointing Thomann Monday night, he said "the board of selectmen will not have any further comment"



Diane Lederman can be reached at dlederman@repub.com and Ted Laborde can be reached at tlaborde@repub.com .



