Gun expert explains how Tex McIver could have accidentally shot his wife | Forensic Files

all right so these are two five pound bags of flour when I hold this this feels like ten pounds to me but when I
hold this and I pull back on one of these where we saw was you know eight plus pounds probably closer to 12 mm
that doesn't feel like this so it's deceptive to me to say it's 12 pounds of pressure like that's me trying to go
like this and and that's what you're you know that's what a jury is gonna hear it
it's 10 to 12 pounds that's a little deceptive don't you think it is yes you're measuring dead weight this way
and you're measuring trigger pull weight with the weapon you have certain amount
of strength everybody dies in the hand it varies now no no you can take this one finger say
with your with your finger and it's it's it's it's simple to do what you're saying so pulling it is much different
than holding it absolutely so if the gun weighed 12 pounds that would be different you know so it's the pulling
of it now let me ask you one other question may i oh yeah all right so the gun is it take a
different kind of physicality to like I'm gonna fire this gun and I'm gonna go like this I'm in the perfect position
and I'm gonna hold the gun like this but if I'm sitting scooch myself up here if I'm sitting up
here like this does it take I mean I'm not in the perfect stance I don't have my body weight distributed oh no it's
all hand pull the trigger yeah it's about the same now if you're startled you hit a bump you wake up and your
fingers on it anyway could it happen yes yeah is that what happened I don't know but
it could nobody knows yeah not even the people in the car yeah absolutely

Update: Tex McIver won his appeal for a new trial in 2022, the Georgia Supreme Court ruling that jurors should have been able to consider the lesser charge of misdemeanor involuntary manslaughter. On Jan. 26, 2024, he pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in exchange for a prison sentence of eight years. With credit for time served, he could be released by mid-2025.

Prosecutors say that Tex McIver must have meant to pull the trigger and shoot his wife Diane in the back. Why? Because it can take up to 12 pounds of finger pressure to pull the trigger of that gun. Watch as former Georgia Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Bert Davis uses two bags of flour to show "48 Hours"' Maureen Maher how it's possible to accidentally pull a trigger that requires that much finger pressure.

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--- "48 Hours" investigates the most intriguing crime and justice cases that touch on all areas of the human experience including greed and passion. For 27 seasons, "48 Hours" has developed a rich history of original reporting and impact journalism that has helped exonerate wrongly convicted people, caused cold cases to be reopened and solved, and along the way changed lives. Check local listings for "48 Hours" broadcast times.

Brief Summary

The episode discusses gun trigger mechanics and the impact of body position on shooting accuracy.

Key points

The Weight of Deception. Discussion on the misleading nature of weight measurements in a trial context.
Trigger Pull Dynamics. Exploration of how physicality affects gun handling and trigger pulling.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

It's deceptive to say it's 12 pounds of pressure.

0:33WatchApr 29, 2018

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