Considering that some of the pellet guns nowadays are every bit as powerful as a .22 rifle, it is entirely stupid to point one at anything you do not wish to kill. There are all sorts of videos on the 'net about hunting with pellet guns. Apparently, they are very effective.
Just one off-the-wall question, but I wonder if alcohol may have been involved.
Personally, I think that if it's not meant to be shot at someone then it shouldn't be shot at someone. I am willing to bet thatthe instructions say not to point it at people. I learned my four basic rules with a BB gun. Don't point a gun at something you don't wish to destroy.
We don't know a lot about the circumstances so the charge may be valid. If it really was an accident I am sure the charges will be lowered.
A sad and avoidable situation.
There is reference to drugs and the gun is described as a "high powered pellet gun".
The article doesn't give very much detail into what happened other than he died from a pellet gun shot so I can't give any real opinion on what the shooter should be charged with. However I don't think that because it was a pellet gun rather than a .22, .45 or 30-06 should have a lot of bearing on the charges. I learned long ago that pellet guns could cause serious damage when a friend of mine had a pellet embedded in his calf resting against the bone in his leg. I also had a friend missing an eye because of a BB gun war. BB and Pellet guns are not toys.
There is reference to drugs and the gun is described as a "high powered pellet gun".
Always knew in the back of my mind that momma was right on that one. Just never actually heard of it really happening.
It seems that the prosecutor is going for the highest possible charge in order to have room to adjust downwards if circumstances and the evidence warrant such.
In my view, this approach is a gross violation of one's integrity with respect to the sound and proper administration of our system of justice. Go for the most appropriate charge and support it with the evidence that supports it. Plea bargaining was intended to facilitate the system of justice, not to allow a prosecutor to file outlandish and false charges just to gain the upper hand.
Both you and I know that there is no 'justice' in the legal system. As a judge/lawyer once told me about recovering damages and stuff when a guy ran into my ex wife's rear end 'that's why they call them victims', because you don't get 'made whole' again.
The legal system is designed to do one thing. To buy houses, cars, yachts and big screen TVs for lawyers.