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John Hollenhorst ReportingJesse Buckley: "They're charging me with all this crap, and all this was nothing more than going hunting."
Deer hunter Jesse Buck Buckley is accused of firing his rifle toward other hunters during an angry confrontation over a wounded deer. Tonight a judge in Heber ruled there's enough evidence to bind him over for trial on felony charges.
Buckley claims he was only shooting at a deer. Witnesses in his preliminary hearing today seemed to agree, except that the deer was dangerously close to some hunters Buckley was angry at.
Jesse Buck Buckley is charged as the shooter. His father Clifford as an accessory. It happened in October in Currant Creek Canyon, where prosecutors say Jesse fired recklessly toward other hunters who had wounded a deer.
Jesse Buck Buckley, Accused Hunter: '"No I didn't shoot at anybody. I was shooting at a deer."
Tricia Lake, Prosecutor: "I believe the evidence is contrary to that."
Witnesses and the alleged victims told us they came to court to do their civic duty, but they refused to do on-camera interviews.
Vondell Clement and his son Randy testified they approached the wounded deer. Buckley suddenly fired two shots from about 300 yards away, the bullets hitting about 10 yards from the Clements.
As the Clements closed in on the deer, the two parties angrily yelled back and forth. Buckley fired again. The Clements say they feared for their lives because the bullet hit so close it sprayed them with dirt and hair from the wounded deer.
Kent Snider, Defense Attorney: "If you think your life is in danger, why would you continue to walk towards the target they were shooting at?"
But an unrelated family of hunters testified they were shocked by the shooting. They described the Buckleys as angry and reckless, clearly putting lives in danger.
Tricia Lake, Prosecutor: "I obviously believe it's a serious charge and it warranted charging as we did."
Why did the Buckley's get angry? Witnesses say they shouted that the Clements had no right to be there. Even though it's public land, the Buckleys claimed it's their mountain.
The judge bound over Jesse Buckley for trial. He'll decide later whether his father should also stand trial.
