Ruling overturned in accidental Tawjihi shooting death

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation decided to overturn an April Criminal Court ruling sentencing a man to two years in prison after convicting him of the accidental death of his friend while celebrating Tawjihi results in August 2017. 

The Criminal Court declared the defendant guilty of accidentally shooting his 18-year-old friend with a handgun on August 12 and handed him the maximum punishment.

The court also decided to amend the manslaughter charges originally pressed against the defendant to “involuntary manslaughter because it was proven to the court that his intention was not to kill the victim”.

However, the Court of Cassation ruled that the defendant might “benefit from a further reduction in punishment because the victim’s family dropped charges against him”.

Therefore, the higher court stated that it will return the case to the Criminal Court to consider this factor, according to the court verdict.

Court papers said the victim contacted three of his friends, including the defendant, to have dinner at a fast food restaurant in Amman in celebration of passing the General Secondary Education Certificate Examination.

The four returned to the defendant’s home to continue the celebration and the defendant grabbed his father’s gun and started playing with it, according to court papers.

“A bullet was accidentally discharged striking the victim’s forehead and killing him instantly,” court papers said.

The Court of Cassation judges were Mohammad Ibrahim, Naji Zubi, Yassin Abdullat, Bassim Mubeidin and Majid Azab.