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Defendant in murder trial takes stand, claims shooting was accidental

Robert Hand, 52, is charged with manslaughter for killing his 24-year-old wife.

ORANGE — An Orange man is charged in the shooting death of his wife.

Robert Hand, 52, is charged with manslaughter for killing his 24-year-old wife.

While on the stand, Hand says that the incident was "accidental" and that he believed the gun was empty before it discharged, hitting Megan Smith.

Hand says that he purchased the gun October of 2016, before he and Smith moved into the married couples Orange home.

Both Smith and Hand were living with Ray Shaver and Sherlyn Kirk at the time of the incident.

While on the stand, Shaver says that moments before Smith was shot in the back, he witnessed Hand behind Smith. Both Shaver and Kirk stated that Hand hugged Smith moments before the handgun fired.

"Once the gun fired, I heard Hand looked shocked and couldn't believed what just happened." said Shaver.

Graphic autopsy photos of Megan Smith were shown in the courtroom. Dr John Wayne, the pathologist who did the autopsy report says that the gun shot wound shows that Megan Smith suffered a “close contact wound.”

Trial is set to continue tomorrow morning at the Orange County courthouse.

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