Murder verdict in Forked Island marsh shooting reduced

The Louisiana Third Circuit Court of Appeal has issued its opinion in “State of Louisiana vs. Quint Mire”, Docket No 55143, 15th Judicial District Court, Parish of Vermilion today overturning the trial jury verdict in that case and remanding the matter for resentencing on a verdict of negligent homicide.
Mire was originally convicted of second degree murder and obstruction of justice and sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder charge and ten years at hard labor for obstruction of justice.
The court determined that there was insufficient evidence to sustain a verdict of murder and has remanded the case to the district court for sentencing under a charge of negligent homicide, for which the sentence can only be for a period of five years and a fine of not more than five thousand dollars, or both.
“The appellate court made the correct decision in that the facts did not support a conviction for the greater charge. Quint Mire has always accepted the responsibility for killing his friend in a hunting accident and our argument all along was that this was at worst, a negligent homicide case” said Burton Guidry, Mire’s attorney.
“Mr. Mire never disputed the fact that he shot his friend Gajan. His total remorse was evidenced by the fact that he freaked out so bad he could not talk about it for almost three days, when he came forward and admitted that he thought Gajan was a deer” said Guidry.
“It is clear that the appellate court took a good look at the evidence presented and rendered a proper verdict, based upon the evidence and not the emotion of the case” Guidry opined “and I am sure that his family is greatly relieved.”
District attorney Mike Harson said he did not agree with the court’s decision.