Even if a five-year old could aim and fire a shotgun (I don't even recall if a shell was chambered, and no way a five year-old could operate the pump action), why would Bullock take the fall for a five-year old? Nothing is going to happen to a five-year old girl. Would probably be chalked up to an accident. So Bullock did 20 years for nothing.
She left a gun out where a child could get it and a cop died, so she'd definitely still have gone to prison for a few years for involuntary manslaughter, but that's far better murder.
shareVery unlikely. Keep in mind that Bullock herself at the time was just supposed to be in her teens or early 20s and had just lost both her parents. She was herself a sympathetic figure. Yes, a sheriff died. However, the movie makes the mistake that all cop-killers are equally as despised. Not one that is a five-year old girl. A D.A. might have tried to make an involuntary manslaughter stick, but would probably decline because would be keenly aware that no jury would convict her. Her sister walks, and so does she.
I get the feeling that in THIS day and age she wouldn’t be treated any worse than say, someone who did time for burglary.
I didn’t like how her coworker was able to able to assault her in front of dozens of witnesses and get away with it.
I agree it doesn’t much much sense to incriminate yourself like that but you have to look at it as a plot device; the story wouldn’t have worked otherwise
shareHaven't seen the film.
Did they say what gage it was? A 12 gage could definitely not be handled by a 5 year old without doing some damage but a 20 gage is specifically designed to used by smaller operators.
thought the same
share