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Manslaughter trial begins for husband who said fatal shooting of wife was accidental

Robert Hand was indicted in October 2017 for the March 2017 death of his then 24-year-old common-law wife, Megan Smith.

ORANGE — The manslaughter trial for an Orange man who said he accidentally shot and killed his wife begins Tuesday.

Robert Hand, 53, begins his trial before Judge Buddie Hahn in Orange County's 260th District Judge today.

Hand was indicted in October 2017 for the March 2017 death of his then 24-year-old common-law wife, Megan Smith.

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Hand told 12News after the shooting that he had given her the gun as a gift to protect herself while he was away at work and described the shooting as a "freak accident."

The couple's children, who were two and three at the time lof the shooting, were in the home in another room when their mother was shot.

"I pretty much took my kid’s mother from them and I have to live with that for the rest of my life," Hand told 12News.

"I wish it was me instead of her, I would give up my life so she could stay with my babies," said Hand.

"They ask me every day where she's at, I don't know what to tell them," said Hand. "They are so young."

In what Hand described as a mistake he will never forget he said the gun fired when he picked it up to make sure it was not loaded before the couple left the home.

Smith, who was sitting on the bed, was struck in the back and mortally wounded.

Officers responded to the home just before 6 p.m. that day according to the Orange Police department.

Officers did not believe the shooting was the result of a domestic disturbance or done out of anger but may have been accidental without intent to harm according to Captain Robert Enmon of the Orange Police Department.

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