"I'm absolutely angered by (the charges)," said Karen Cottam, manager of the Totally Awesome store in West Jordan.

Cottam said vigilante justice does not work and the people who chased down her boss, whom she called reckless and irresponsible, should have called police.

"Everyone has a right to protect their family," employee Charolee Norton said. "What's society coming to if you can't protect your family?"

Customers who haven't stopped doing business at Totally Awesome Computers have given their support, Schanze said.

"I haven't had one person approach me and say, 'I can't believe you did that,' " he said.

Schanze's lawyer, James "Mitch" Vilos, who was not present at the event, said he had no comment about the protest and was unaware of his client's actions Wednesday.

Robert Stott, spokesman for the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office, also had no comment. "We try to do our speaking in the courtroom," Stott said.

As for whether he was concerned if Wednesday's pep rally might backfire and have a negative impact on his case, Schanze said, "God is the only one I'm worried about."

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E-mail: preavy@desnews.com