Reply #18: Aha, great point!

[Lasher]

The diameter of the pattern had to be at least 20 inches, because that's about how far it is from your liver to the top of your head. I don't know what range would produce a 20 inch pattern. I wish I could do some test firing of my own, but I have only 12 and 16 gauge shotguns, and both are full choke. A 28 gauge is uncommon around here.

The depth of penetration might be a more precise indication of range than the shot pattern, but using that to accurately calculate the distance is beyond my meager abilities. My understanding of this factor has changed, as has the story we've been getting. First it was, "Ha ha, he can walk it off", and more lately we realize both the heart and liver were penetrated.

I've not yet reviewed the police report, but one would hope that it would identify the range, based on a physical measurement of the distance between where Cheney and Whittington were standing at the moment of impact.

Deductive reasoning is fun.