Thursday, February 16, 2006
Media on Death Watch for Cheney Victim
Harry Whittington, who was shot by Vice President Dick Cheney in a weekend hunting accident, is expected to fully recover.
But that hasn't stopped the national media from commencing a death watch for the 78-year-old Texas lawyer.
Salivating over the prospect that Whittington's demise could mean legal problems for Cheney, reporters could barely contain their anticipation.
The media's official Cheney victim death watch kicked off Tuesday evening, with Time magazine blogger Andrew Sullivan openly speculating: "What if Whittington dies?"
Noted Sullivan:
"He's 78. He got hit in the face and body by a spray of tiny pellets. He's back in intensive care. It's not inconceivable that the vice-president may have accidentally killed someone. Let's hope it doesn't come to that. I don't know Texas law; and I'm not a lawyer. But wouldn't this be a case of something like negligent homicide?"
Hours later, ABC reporter Mike Von Fremd picked up where Sullivan left off, telling "Good Morning America": "As for Harry Whittington, the district attorney who has already said this was an accident and no crime was committed, says that in the unlikely event that Whittington takes a turn for the worse and dies, that would immediately spur a new report, that could lead to a grand jury investigation."
By mid-afternoon Wednesday, even the Associated Press had gotten into the act, reporting:
"If the man wounded by Dick Cheney dies, the vice president could -- in theory at least -- face criminal charges, even though the shooting was an accident.
"Dallas defense attorney David Finn, who has been a state and a federal prosecutor, said Wednesday that a Texas grand jury could bring a charge of criminally negligent homicide if there is evidence the vice president knew or should have known 'there was a substantial or unjustifiable risk that his actions would result in him shooting a fellow hunter.'"
Unfortunately for the press, Mr. Whittington's condition was improving at last report.
Harry Whittington, who was shot by Vice President Dick Cheney in a weekend hunting accident, is expected to fully recover.
But that hasn't stopped the national media from commencing a death watch for the 78-year-old Texas lawyer.
Salivating over the prospect that Whittington's demise could mean legal problems for Cheney, reporters could barely contain their anticipation.
The media's official Cheney victim death watch kicked off Tuesday evening, with Time magazine blogger Andrew Sullivan openly speculating: "What if Whittington dies?"
Noted Sullivan:
"He's 78. He got hit in the face and body by a spray of tiny pellets. He's back in intensive care. It's not inconceivable that the vice-president may have accidentally killed someone. Let's hope it doesn't come to that. I don't know Texas law; and I'm not a lawyer. But wouldn't this be a case of something like negligent homicide?"
Hours later, ABC reporter Mike Von Fremd picked up where Sullivan left off, telling "Good Morning America": "As for Harry Whittington, the district attorney who has already said this was an accident and no crime was committed, says that in the unlikely event that Whittington takes a turn for the worse and dies, that would immediately spur a new report, that could lead to a grand jury investigation."
By mid-afternoon Wednesday, even the Associated Press had gotten into the act, reporting:
"If the man wounded by Dick Cheney dies, the vice president could -- in theory at least -- face criminal charges, even though the shooting was an accident.
"Dallas defense attorney David Finn, who has been a state and a federal prosecutor, said Wednesday that a Texas grand jury could bring a charge of criminally negligent homicide if there is evidence the vice president knew or should have known 'there was a substantial or unjustifiable risk that his actions would result in him shooting a fellow hunter.'"
Unfortunately for the press, Mr. Whittington's condition was improving at last report.
