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[petronius]

17. I think it depends on the circumstances (just as with child-in-a-hot-car, and other

forms of tragic accidental death.)

As described, it sounds as though they were passing around a loaded gun for viewing (maybe a case of the magazine empty or removed, but a forgotten round in the chamber?) and the gun was accidentally fired when he went to put it away. Definitely a massive screw-up to be handing around a loaded gun, and a second massive screw-up to inadvertently move the trigger (which is what I assume happened, unless there was a real defect), but I don't think it rises to needing charges.

On the other hand, if he was really playing--deliberately pointing it at people, or otherwise being willfully irresponsible--then I'd say charges are warranted.

In both cases, I imagine he'd punish himself for a long time, but charges would still be appropriate in the latter...