Hunter who shot Marine he saw as 'bear' on trial for manslaughter
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — A trial began Tuesday in Salem on the manslaughter charge against a hunter who killed a man mistaken for a bear near Silver Falls State Park.
In opening statements, the deputy district attorney said Christopher Ochoa was crossing a field with a friend, taking what they thought was a short cut to the park in October 2011 when he was shot.
The defense lawyer for 68-year-old Eugene Irvin Collier said he was hunting with his 12-year-old grandson and believed he saw a bear.
Ochoa was a 20-year-old Marine reservist from French Camp, Calif. The Statesman Journal reports he was visiting a friend. The two men were trespassing on land owned by the Collier family.
Jurors will decide whether the shooting was reckless.
I guess this District Attorney doesn't get any robberies, rapes, assaults, murders, or child abusers, etc... in Salem, Oregon? I seriously doubt this grandfather with his grandson shot and killed this guy on purpose!Â
And it serves no purpose, to the people or to the law to prosecute this guy! Â
I guess this District Attorney has plenty of money (taxpayer money) to spend of this kind of frivolous prosecution!
O well, we don't always get the brightest bulbs in the lot....
Give the old timer in the story a break , he probably still drives and sees the other cars as mammoths.
This story doesn't pass the smell test.  Remember essential rules of firearms use - gun always loaded, don't let it point at anything you don't want to kill or destroy, make sure of your target, and keep your finger out of the trigger guard until your aim is on target.  I also agree with souptonuts in his rebuke of J. Burton.  Sissy, snots, and snide remarkers who would not know a spear or a firearm should limit their remarks to Lady's Home Journal.
These issues were not present during the days of spear hunting as there'd be no issue misidentifying your quarry when in spear range. Â Guns of all shapes and sizes launch a high-velocity projectile that is too risky for any human to wield responsibly!
@J. Burton Your comment is offensive to those of us, many in number who have gone the extra mile to be responsible firearm owners. We have taken the time to make sure our children are the same. We secure our weapons to prevent them from getting into the hands of irresponsible people. Were it not for folks like us, responsible gun owners, you would have no say at all.
@souptonuts Your comments much like your name make absolutely no sense. Really how would you make nuts from soup? You might as well name your self Snookie then your inane comments would make much more sense.Â
@Ritual99 @souptonuts Sorry for your inability to comprehend. Have a nice day.
You never pull the trigger unless you are 100% sure! This is criminal negligence for sure manslaughter. What a terrible TOTALLY preventable crime!
How could there be any question about whether the shooter was "reckless"? Â Of course he was. Â Duh. Â Whether the victim was trespassing or not, this is manslaughter, plain and simple.
There is no excuse for shooting a human thinking it was a bear. You never drop the hammer until there is no doubt what you are shooting at.  It should be murder, that is not an accident, it is shear stupidity in the 1st degree. As a hunter for over 50 years I have passed up many many shots because I was not sure of where the bullet was going.