Question: Isn't it up to police to deem whether a shooting is accidental?

[quiet.american]

When word of the Cheney incident first broke, every headline included some variation of the words "accident."

However, after scanning a few MSM articles on this story, I still haven't found anything along the lines of "the local police have deemed the shooting an accident." It seems the press is just taking Cheney's and Katherine Armstrong's word for it. I'm not saying it is or isn't an accident (although I don't give this brood the benefit of the doubt on anything) -- my point is, has anyone come across anything stating the police have ruled this officially as an accident? Or are we just supposed to trust Dick Cheney?

[RagingInMiami]

1. You're right

But would you expect anything less from the MSM?

[quiet.american]

13. Good question --

-- you're right - and actually I am surprised at the ferocity with which the media has responded to the delay in reporting the incident -- but I can't help but wonder, too, and I'm sure it's been discussed here, at the timing of it all. Cheney's just been exposed as having committed a high crime against the country by instructing Libby to out Valerie Plame, that seems to now be getting buried in all the huck-a-buck about this shooting....

[Beetwasher]

2. Yup, AFAIC, Cheney Does NOT Get the Benefit of the Doubt Here

This is an ALLEGED accident.

[Sammy Pepys]

3. I did hear that the police had investigated..

..and determined it was an accident. That was on the radio though, so no link.

[RaleighNCDUer]

4. Secret Service agent steps in front of the deputy and says

"No, you can't speak to him. National security, you understand. It was an accident."

Deputy says, "OK".

End of investigation.

[TX-RAT]

8. Thats not correct.

[rpgamerd00d]

10. Yes it is. Scott McClellen confirmed SS prevented Cops from investigating

[leftchick]

23. oh yes it is too correct. The Nazi cheney had his Gestapo stop the locals

and told them to get lost. End of story.

[quiet.american]

5. Thanks - will be interested to see if it starts getting reported that way-

-- more widely.

[TX-RAT]

7. Yep

It's mandatory in TX for a hospital to report all gunshot wounds or victims to local law-enforcement. Officer responds, asks a few questions, if all story's check out. It's an accident.Most rarely make it to the local paper.

[Mrspeeker]

6. my point exactly

As a brought up before when my friend was messing around with his gun and shot his friend in the head, he was arrested and jailed pending the full investigation. His friend laid critically injured and even admitted it was a accident, but there where still procedures that the police department had to follow.

Guess when your above the law, Things are different.

Like Arnold's motorcycle accident a couple weeks ago, A normal person would have been charged for driving without a license and well we all know about this kind of stuff. The Untouchables get off without anything at all, and the fucked part about it is that they can actually afford their tickets.

[quiet.american]

11. Yup, they love the "rule of law" until it bites them in the arse.

Can't tell you how sick I am of there being one set of rules for Bushco, and another set for the country... and Jerry Springer still doesn't want to call it fascism.

BTW, what a story you have there.... just curious... are the two of them still friends?

[BOSSHOG]

9. the Secret Service did not allow the local sherriff

to interview the VP. Heard that on CBS radio this morning. No doubt they are covering up something. Was he drunk? Were there whores romping around the shooting site? Were drugs being used? Did he intentionally shoot the guy?

Don't I sound like limbaugh chatting about Senator Kennedy? It so easy being an idiot.

[theshadow]

14. Don't be so hard on yourself, Bosshog.

It's HARD being an idiot; Limbaugh studied nights.

[July]

12. I'm still waiting to hear more about the "third hunter."

I saw a post at DailyKos earlier today that identified her, and now I can't find it. It wasn't the Armstrong woman, IIRC.

Anyone see anything about this?

[librechik]

15. Texas law assumes all hunting shootings are accidents

it would be unusual to have an investigation.

TalkLeft has a useful post about Texas hunting laws:

http://talkleft.com/new_archives/014009.html

someone has reprinted verbatim the appropriate statute somewhere--can't find the link right now

[quiet.american]

17. Thanks for the info -- bit confusing, though, isn't it --

-- since it starts out by saying Texas authorities are complaining they were barred from speaking with Cheney, but then goes on to say that absent a fatality, investigations aren't required.

CBS News White House correspondent Peter Maer reports Texas authorities are complaining that the Secret Service barred them from speaking to Cheney after the incident. Kenedy County Texas Sheriffs Lt. Juan Guzman said deputies first learned of the shooting when an ambulance was called. The Secret Service is looking into how the case was handled at the scene, Maer added.

The secretary for Kenedy County Sheriff Ramon Salinas the third, Sandra Guzman, said today that reports on the incident are pending. District Attorney Carlos Valdez says the matter hasn't been referred to his office, which prosecutes criminal cases in Kenedy, Klebert and Nueces counties. He says his office would become involved only if an investigative agency finds a hint of criminal wrongdoing or a dispute about the facts.

....Texas Parks and Wildlife spokesman Tom Harvey would not provide specifics on the information gathered. He says hunting parties aren't required to report accidents. The state penal code requires people to report fatalities, and law-enforcement would investigate those.

[librechik]

21. confusion thy name is Texas.

and purposely so, it seems at times...

[quiet.american]

22. lol. :) n/t

[zbdent]

16. Ask Richard Mellon Scaife

:evilgrin:

[Xenotime]

18. There should have been a complete investigation...

not a payoff to some good-ole-boys chewin straw.

[Silverhair]

19. The SS guys ARE law enforcement officers too.

So the accident happened with LEOs there on the spot, before, during and after.

[quiet.american]

20. Well, seems that wasn't quite good enough for "Texas authorities...."

http://talkleft.com/new_archives/014009.html

CBS News White House correspondent Peter Maer reports Texas authorities are complaining that the Secret Service barred them from speaking to Cheney after the incident. Kenedy County Texas Sheriffs Lt. Juan Guzman said deputies first learned of the shooting when an ambulance was called. The Secret Service is looking into how the case was handled at the scene, Maer added.

But what do they know?

[genie_weenie]

24. I am the police!