In opening the murder trial of Charles Tan, the Cornell University student from Pittsford accused of shooting and killing his father, the prosecution cast Tan as a man of free will.

Tan had "the freedom to hold that gun," "the freedom to shoot that gun" and "the freedom to buy that gun," the jury was told.

But Tan didn't buy the 12-gauge shotgun used in the killing over the counter. A friend of his named Whitney Knickerbocker did. On Friday, the prosecution proved it with video footage and testimony of the men who sold him the gun.

Ever since the Democrat and Chronicle reported months ago that Tan's friend, whom the report did not identify, bought the shotgun for him at a Walmart in Cortland County, the question of why the friend has not been charged with a "straw purchase" has loomed.

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/local/columnists/andreatta/2015/09/25/charles-tan-gun-purchase/72760242/