New Hampshire bans man from hunting for 10 years

[Jeff White]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/H/HUNTING_DEATH?SITE=MOSTP&SECTION=US

Apr 22, 2:42 PM EDT

N.H. bans man from hunting for 10 years

By BEVERLEY WANG
Associated Press Writer

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) -- A man acquitted of negligent homicide after fatally shooting a fellow hunter has been banned from hunting in the state for 10 years.

The Fish and Game Commission voted unanimously Thursday to revoke Steven Laro's lifetime hunting license. Commissioners agreed Laro - a former police officer and FBI-trained firearms instructor - did not properly identify his target before shooting.

"I didn't hear anything in Mr. Laro's testimony indicating that 'I've learned my lesson,'" Commissioner Sharon Guaraldi said.

Laro, 50, was acquitted in December in the January 2004 death of Robert Proulx, 58, at a private game preserve. He said he mistook the man for a wild boar.
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The state questioned Laro's competency to handle the rifle, pointing out he acknowledged being unprepared the morning of the shooting. Laro had recently purchased the firearm from Proulx, who ran a sport and taxidermy shop.

Laro's lawyer argued that the fatal accident was not solely his client's fault and said it wasn't clear whether the victim was walking an agreed-upon path.

Laro may reapply for a hunting license after the revocation period ends. If convicted, he would have automatically lost his lifetime license.

"I have no desire to be hunting," Laro said. "Someday I may want to hunt again, I don't know."

A $2 million wrongful death lawsuit filed by Proulx's widow is pending.

 

[jefnvk]

Liek I said on another board, good for the state. The man is lucky he isn't in jail right now.

Some of us were taught, and follw the principle, that you don't shoot at a deer until you can count enough antler to know that it is legal. People like the man above give all hunters a bad name.

 

[Legionnaire]

#4. Be sure of your target ...

 

[Aguila Blanca]

The lesson here is, if you want to off somebody, take them hunting.

A few years ago in a town near where my brother lives, a man shot and killed the deputy chief of police in a hunting accident. The guy claims he and the deputy chief were old friends and hunted together a lot. The incident took place on town-owned property where hunting is not allowed, and the deputy chief's widow said she had never heard her husband even mention this so-called "best friend."

The guy walked. Didn't spend 5 minutes in jail.

 

[Spot77]

Maybe I don't have the whole story, but since he was convicted of no crime, how can he be punished?

I know, I know....there's no doubt he did something wrong, and should have known better.

But is it ok for the state to punish you for being an idiot?


uh oh....I probably should've gotten the tinfoil hat out....

 

[Byron Quick]

Spot,

Apparently, hunting is regarded as a privilege in New Hampshire and not a right. Therefore, his hunting privileges were removed for non-criminal reason.

Personally, I don't see how so many people involved in hunting deaths avoid conviction on negligent homicide. Uh, you were hunting. You killed someone.
Did you positively identify your target? You did? Ok, you knew you were shooting a man, then? You thought it was a deer? Oh, then you did not identify your target, i.e, you were negligent.

I've missed getting a shot a three very big bucks because I would not shoot at unidentified movement.

With the training that guy had...he must have had a love affair with the jury.

 

[Gunsnrovers]

I have a funny feeling not only will he not be hunting for a while, but that he'll be a lot lighter in the pocket when this is over. He's lucky to be walking free in the meantime.

This was not an accident. This was negligence. Even more so with the "training" he has received over his career.

The word accident replaced negligence way too often. :banghead:

 

[WT]

He could pull a Bernie Goetz and just ignore the civil penalty. Maybe buy a nice house in Florida while he is at it.

 

[Denko]

The article says he was trained by the FBI.Maybe Lon Horiuchi was his trainer.This bozo should never be allowed to hunt again,for the rest of his life.