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Tuesday, February 14, 2006

The Gift that Keeps on Giving

Posted by on February 14 at 11:16 AM

In the news this morning:

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - The 78-year-old lawyer who was shot by Vice President Dick Cheney in a hunting accident has some birdshot lodged in his heart and he had a “minor heart attack,” a hospital official said Tuesday.

Full story.


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so if he dies .. Cheney still gets a freepass? No wrong doing?

Whittington could sue him in a civil action for negligence or possibly assault. If he were to die, his estate could sue him for wrongful death. I would say don't bet on either outcome. They could settle the whole thing in a friendly and quiet way with a quick transfer of a couple hundred thousand shares of Halliburton.

But why should Cheney not be proscuted for criminal negligence? Or some lesser degree of assault, involving recklessness or negligence? I understand the blog world is talking today about some Oregon guy who got 30 days in stir for clipping his hunting partner. Wouldn't (and shouldn't) the presence of alcohol make a huge difference to a public prosecutor? And do you believe that nobody was drinking at 5:30pm on a Saturday on a good ol' boys' hunting weekend on a ranch in Texas? Is there any info out there about Cheney's fondness for the grape?

Well, if Whittington were to die as a result of this accident, then Cheney should be charged with manslaughter. If not that, then some lesser charge, but I think manslaughter is probably appropriate.

agreed, BD, if he were to die. What, though, if he dies 3 years from now from heart problems? There'd still be a civil case I think, if causation could be proved. But I have no idea what would happen criminally in that event. There might be a criminal statute of limitations problem, for starters. Aren't there any real lawyers who Slog?

It is obvious that Whittington was wounded more grievously than was initially reported. "Peppered" makes it sound like it barely broke the skin. Now some of the media is saying that a pellet "moved" to his heart. Just how does a pellet lodged inside of someone's body "move"? Particularly if said person is immobile in ICU? Did it get up and walk? Did it swim? The guy has been in intensive care for the better part of 4 days now. Just how badly was he "peppered"?

I hope he doesnt die, I need the jokes.

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