Different States, different standards?
Just over a year ago, I wrote about the tragic death of Taylor Michalec in Texas. No charges were filed in that case.

Today, we find a story of the tragic death of Jacob Kadamus in Vermont. Like Taylor he was accidentally shot by a close relative during a hunt. In Taylor's case it was his grandfather, Anton Michalec. In Jacob's case, it was his father, Kevin Kadamus.

The difference is that Kevin Kadamus has now been charged with manslaughter. In theory, he faces 15 years in prison. In Texas, the case was closed without any criminal charges.

In the Vermont case, the shooter is charged with not identifying his target before firing. In the Texas case, the shooter was walking in back of his grandson along a creek, apparently with the safety off. The trigger snagged on "a branch or some type of vine," resulting in a fatal shot. I'm not a hunter, but both acts seem equally negligent to me.

Both Texas and Vermont have a strong history of expecting their citizens to take personal responsibility. While they have very different approaches to gun regulation and "gun control" laws, please debate those laws elsewhere. Both states expect and demand that a hunter know how to keep their gun under control in the field.

So why the different legal results? Is it as simple as the fact that Anton Michalec was an ex-police officer? I certainly hope not.