Pa. man convicted in friend's shotgun death

BUTLER, Pa. (AP) — A Pennsylvania man has been convicted of third-degree murder for shooting a longtime friend in what he claimed was an accident.

Eric Rutledge, 20, could face life in prison after his conviction today in the November 2010 death of 18-year-old Courtney Daily.

Rutledge had testified that he and Daily had handed the shotgun back and forth, discussing whether either of them would be able to shoot someone. Rutledge had told authorities he didn’t know the gun was loaded but testified at trial that he had loaded the gun and taken the safety off.

Defense attorney Alex Lindsay said Rutledge did not intend to kill Daily, noting they had ordered pizza minutes earlier.

Daily, of Colorado Springs, Colo., was visiting Rutledge’s home in Seven Fields, about 20 miles north of Pittsburgh.