Finally, something interesting in the news

The annoying buzz of an all-terrain vehicle may have triggered a deadly shootout that led police to file a rare charge of "murder by duel," authorities said.

...

"We've had shootout-type cases, but I can't recall one quite like this where there was an argument, then the people separated and came back to the very same location, each knowing the other had a gun," said prosecutor Sid Bell.

The law, written in 1849, reads: "If any person fight a duel in this state and in so doing inflict a mortal wound, he shall be deemed guilty of murder." West Virginia became a state in 1863.

CNN

I hate to point and giggle over someone's stupidity, but this is the first interesting thing I've read in the news in weeks. It is so nice to have a story pop up that reaffirms one's commitment to sanity.

This plays out in my head. First there are words. Neither party even considers calling the police. They both own firearms legally (I bet). They both have practiced shooting over their lives. Neither has ever been shot at or shot a gun in anger before (I bet). When push comes to shove, only one of them hits the mark. The other dies.

The police need to make it something more than boys will be boys, so they dig up an old dueling law from before their was a Virginia. I have a sneaking suspicion the charges will change before it goes to court.

Maybe we will get lucky and another story whill come up that convicts a person of being a homosexual and they get life too. That was the law back then.