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1st degree would be premeditated. This guy did not plan to kill anyone. He made a terrible mistake, and in not taking responsibility for it probably caused the death of the young man. It's very much like a hit and run, leaving someone to die on the road. I don't know what a typical sentence for that would be, but I suspect less than 10 years.

The reason I suggested Murder 1 is simply that in a republic, when a citizen willingly and knowingly does something that causes the death of another, that is killing by direct choice.

Not being a lawyer, and having historic American loathing of anyone who will argue any side of any question for a fee, I couldn't care less what some lawyer says. Likewise his opinions, or any claim to accuracy, on any subject whatsoever, are suspect unless they can be independently verified.

Those who deceive for a living are not to be trusted. So much for lawyers. Back to your post.

To claim that the shooter didn't make a deliberate decision which caused the death of the man he shot is to cast doubts on both your reasoning ability and comprehension of the fact.

While the firing of the shot may have been an accident, what happened after is is no way a matter of accident. The decision to not call medical help is a deliberate and planned action.

When the shooter decided not to call, he elevated what started as an accident to a series of volitional acts which guaranteed the death of another human being.

What was not planned in his actions? Did he not walk off and leave a known injured man to die? Sounds like first degree murder to me.

Regarding your hit & run analogy, you seem to have proved my point. I do feel that when a hit & run driver causes a death, where his calling for help could have made a difference, that failure to act is a deliberate action causing death. Again, first degree murder.

While I realize many Liberals and even RINO's don't want to agree with societal killing of murders, I humbly and compassionately suggest their contemplation of the word "tough".