[fabsroman]

Lonestar,

I definitely am not dissing the Constitution, and if you read the entire sentence (i.e., the beginning of the one you quoted) you would have read:

"As far as the shooter is concerned, if the ballistics match up on his rifle and the tape matches up with his voice,"

To me, that would be plenty of proof enough that he shot the guy. I guess he could always say that he was shooting at movement and didn't actually see the 18 year old walking through the woods. Just another black eye for firearms and hunters. There probably wasn't any malice in this guy's mind (i.e., he wasn't mad at the 18 year old and he wasn't arguing with him), but who really knows what this guy was thinking when he pulled the trigger twice.

1. Geez, I'm bored. Maybe I'll shoot this guy coming up with this puny .22 and see what it can do.

2. Geez. I have never killed anybody before, how about I cross that off my list of things to do.

3. Wow, that squirrel is running pretty fast, but I think I can catch him. POW POW. Oh crap, I think I just shot that guy.

And I can go on and on.

At the end of the day, you are right about us not knowing all the facts. As most people on this board can tell you, I am big about knowing all the facts and I don't think a person can get a good idea of all the facts unless they are present at the trial, and even then, I don't think all the facts come out at trial because the defendant is trying to cover himself and there aren't always witnesses. If the accused's reason for shooting the 18 year old is either #1 or #2 above, do you think he will say that in Court?

What I am more irritated about is the fact that he didn't try to get help. He didn't comfort this 18 year old as he passed away in the woods ALONE. He shot him and took off to go to FUN events. Granted, maybe that account of the facts is wrong, but I doubt any of us will ever know exactly what the facts are in any of these cases.

This is what is wrong with society. Nobody wants to take responsiblity for their actions and nobody wants to help their next door neighbor.