Police recommend hunter be tried for criminal negligence causing death

The police have recommended that a 39-year-old Czech hunter be charged with grievous bodily harm and criminal negligence causing death, after completing their investigation into a tragedy in the Czech Republic last summer in which one person lost his life. The hunter shot and killed a 29-year-old man who had been sleeping under a tree. He was reportedly alerted to his mistake by the victim’s friend, who shouted and waved his cap to prevent further shots. Nothing could be done to help the gravely injured man. The hunter later told investigators he had thought he was aiming at a deer; the victim’s father maintained that his son had sat up at the fateful moment and gotten in the way of fire. In the event of a trial - and guilty verdict - the hunter could face up to six years in jail.

Author: Jan Velinger