VP Cheney Shot Lawyer During Hunting

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From Reuters:

Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally wounded a companion with shotgun pellets on a weekend quail hunt in Texas, his office said on Sunday. Cheney's companion, Austin lawyer Harry Whittington, 78, was listed in stable condition after being brought in on Saturday night, said Yvonne Wheeler, a spokeswoman for the Christus Spohn Hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas. Cheney's office said Whittington had been sprayed by birdshot while hunting at the Armstrong Ranch in south Texas, about 200 miles south of San Antonio. The shooting was first reported by the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. The vice president's office did not disclose the accident until the day after it happened.

[techieMoe]

So he had a minor hunting accident. Honestly, why is this news?

[onlinebacon]

No idea, not really any point, is it

But I am not familiar with US laws, so would someone get put in jail for shooting someone else, because of lack of care of something?

[techieMoe]

No idea, not really any point, is it

But I am not familiar with US laws, so would someone get put in jail for shooting someone else, because of lack of care of something?

In this case, no. The guy that was shot basically admitted he didn't warn Cheney before walking into the line of fire. He wasn't even that seriously hurt, he was just peppered with bird shot, which from what I understand is a pretty common occurrence with hunting fowl.

[Mr_Tricorder]

Unless it was intentional, done through gross negligence, or someone was seriously injured or killed, this kind of thing is no big deal. The only reason why it would make any kind of news is because the Vice President of the US was involved.

[fingal]

Unless it was intentional, done through gross negligence, or someone was seriously injured or killed, this kind of thing is no big deal. The only reason why it would make any kind of news is because the Vice President of the US was involved.

I had similar thoughts about that. It's the most unexciting news imaginable. What gets me is that behind every newspaper headline there's an implicit 'other headline'. In this case that there had been negligence. Unlikely.

[onlinebacon]

Well, in that case, this news story sucks

[oz]

The only reason why it would make any kind of news is because the Vice President of the US was involved.

Yeah, that and because there was a gun involved. People get too fidgety over the thought or mention of guns. Wonder if we'd be hearing about it if he'd slammed the car door on someone's finger?

[Vergil83]

Yeah, that and because there was a gun involved. People get too fidgety over the thought or mention of guns. Wonder if we'd be hearing about it if he'd slammed the car door on someone's finger?

to be fair those are different kind of accidents. It is unlikely slamming a car door on someone's finger is going to hurt them much. Being shot by a gun could lead to a case of dying.

[Mr_Tricorder]

Yeah, that and because there was a gun involved. People get too fidgety over the thought or mention of guns. Wonder if we'd be hearing about it if he'd slammed the car door on someone's finger?

If there wasn't someone famous envolved, the fact that a gun was involved really wouldn't have had anything to do with it. Keep in mind that this happened in Texas.