Posted on 02/15/2006 1:24:33 PM PST by iPod Shuffle
If lawyer dies, Cheney could face negligent homicide charges
02/15/2006 02:42:17 PM
DALLAS (AP) -- If the man wounded by Dick Cheney dies, the vice president could -- in theory at least -- face criminal charges, even though the shooting was an accident.
Dallas defense attorney David Finn, who has been a state and a federal prosecutor, said Wednesday that a Texas grand jury could bring a charge of criminally negligent homicide if there is evidence the vice president knew or should have known "there was a substantial or unjustifiable risk that his actions would result in him shooting a fellow hunter."
"The risk must be of such a nature and degree that it got to be pretty outrageous -- that a reasonable person would have to say, `I am not pulling the trigger because this other guy might be in front of me,"' Finn said. *
The charge carries up to two years behind bars, but with no previous felonies Cheney would be eligible for probation, the former prosecutor said.
Mark Skurka, first assistant district attorney of the three-county area where the shooting took place, said prosecutors did not have an investigation under way.
"If something unfortunate happens, then we'll decide what to do, then we'll decide whether we're going to have an investigation or not," Skurka said.
Harry Whittington, a 78-year-old lawyer, was struck in the face, neck and chest with shotgun pellets over the weekend while Cheney was shooting at quail. Whittington suffered a mild heart attack Tuesday after a pellet traveled to his heart.
But on Wednesday, hospital officials said he had a normal heart rhythm again and was sitting up in a chair, eating regular food and planned to do some legal work in his hospital room. Doctors said they are highly optimistic he will recover.
In the only other case of someone being shot by a vice president, Aaron Burr was indicted on murder charges in New York and New Jersey for killing Alexander Hamilton in a duel in 1804, but he was never tried and finished out his term in office.
Oh, bullpoop! No such charges would ever be filed in the State of Texas. This is just nonsense!
WHEN I win the powerball tonight, I will deposit my lump sum check and head to the Carribean to shop for a small island.
If a frog had a tail...
I'll be on one Sunday whether I win or not tonight.
Yep! Lots of wishful thinking going on here. But then,
it's nothing new.
With my tin foil helmet securely fastened, might I suggest posting a guard at his room, less some "looney-leftist" assist Mr. Whittingham to an "early demise," (a trait learned from bubba clintoon) in their on-going effort to be disruptive to our political process & America in general.
What law did he break?
I'm hoping that the next time Cheney goes hunting, he takes the entire newsroom from each of the following: NY Times, WA Post, Boston Globe, Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel.
IF I were 78 and IF I were in the hospital AND IF I were a lawyer, I doubt I would want to do some legal work in my hospital room. Unless it was a cute nurse who wanted to see my legal briefs.
These people are morbid. Don't they have anything better to do than speculate about people dying?
And, if my Aunt had b@lls, she'd be my uncle.
Words fail.
The AP is morbid...
EXACTLY! If Cheney is gonna be charged, then we can indict Ted Kennedy for Chappaquiddick, since there's no Statute of Limitations for murder.
However outrageous as that might sound, you are right. They are unhinged.
Bad news for the left. Mr Whittington is sitting up in his bed, eating food and doing some lawyer work. :-)
Nice of them to make comparisons between Aaron Burr (who fired with full knowledge & evil intent upon Alex Hamilton) and Richard Cheney (who possessed neither).
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