Parent on Trial

     On TV we watched a man in court rocking himself forward and back, forward and back.

     A terrible experience. Likely the worst day of his life. His mistake? He gave his 14-year-old son a gun for Christmas.

     Georgia criminally charged the father with second degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and cruelty to children less than 36 hours after his son killed four people at a high school with his assault style rifle.  

     This is similar to a case in Michigan, where in 2021 parents were charged with involuntary manslaughter - a school shooting by their son.  

     A college lecturer said cases charging others with negligence for providing or allowing firearms are likely to continue. It may be difficult to prove a parent knew a child was likely to pose a danger to others, he added. 

     "The prosecutor must have a lot of evidence," he said. "It's difficult to prove what's in the mind of a person."

     The shooter's mother, divorced from the father, reportedly warned the school 30 minutes before the shots. If the father was equally aware, it may factor into the prosecutor's case. 

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