A bride who shot her niece dead during an argument on her wedding night is claiming it was a drunken accident . Christina George-Harvan , 30 and Katelyn Francis , 21 , were celebrating at Jimmy K 's bar in New Brighton , Pennsylvania , after the ceremony on April 24 , 2014 when they started arguing over who should drive home . The row spilled into the parking lot and then into new husband Jeremy Harvan 's car when the gun went off . Prosecutors say George-Harvan took the weapon from the center console and deliberately shot Francis , but her defense claims it fired by accident . She is facing third-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter charges . Scroll down for video . Christina George-Harvan , 30 ( pictured in court on Friday ) has been accused of shooting her niece Katelyn Francis dead . She claims it was just a drunken accident . George-Harvan and Francis , 21 , ( pictured ) were partying after a wedding 30 miles south of Pittsburgh on April 24 , 2014 . George-Harvan , a former nurse , took to the stand on Thursday during her trial . She told the court about the hours leading up the shooting - saying there was no tension with her niece . According to CBS Pittsburgh , she said : ' I was happy…she was so cute . We were only nine years apart . The first thing she did was say , 'Aunt Tina , I 'm so happy for you , ' and gave me a big hug . ' As the night went on they drank more , the court heard , and soon Mr Harvan was determined to drive home . However Francis demanded she be the designated driver and tried to take the keys off of him . George-Harvan said : 'When I turned around , the glove box is open and I see this gun . I think I got ta move this gun . I go get it out of the glove box to move it and boom the gun goes off . The defense attorney then asked : 'Did you squeeze the trigger ? ' And she replied : 'No . ' Recounting the moment she realized she had shot her niece , she said : 'Everything freezes , Jeremy says , 'You just shot your [ expletive ] cousin ' . George-Harvan ( pictured before her first court appearance the day after the shooting ) said she would never hurt her niece and insists there was no tension between the pair earlier in the evening . The row had spilled into the parking lot and then into new husband Jeremy Harvan 's car ( inside on night of shooting pictured ) when the gun went off . George-Harvan claims it fired when she tried to move it . 'He steps over her dying body and he runs . I put pressure on [ Katelyn 's [ wound and I screamed and dialed 911 . She added , ' I felt devastated . It was like a nightmare . Your wedding day is supposed to be the best day of your life and my niece is dead . ' The prosecution rested on Thursday . The defense called former Pennsylvania State Trooper Frederick Wentling as a ballistic experts . He told the court the weapon could discharge with just the slightest pressure on the trigger . According to CBS Pittsburgh , he said : 'If you put your thumb in… if you pick it up sideways , and put your thumb in there and pull it back , it will discharge . 'It 's supposed to . It does n't know what 's pulling it to the rear . ' On Friday Prosecutor Brittany Smith told the jury , 'She shot somebody . She killed somebody . Do you think she used reasonable care ? ' The jury is now deliberating and is considering third-degree murder or involuntary manslaughter . The defense argues the jury should acquit her of any homicide charge under the doctrine of 'excusable homicide by misadventure , ' . The defendant has to have shown carelessness without criminal intent for that to be proven . George-Harvan , her new husband and Francis went out drinking to celebrate the marriage at Jimmy K 's bar in New Brighton and subsequently got into a fight over who would drive home .
Christina George - ray shot Katelyn lane , 21 on April 24 , 2014 . Gun went off outside Jimmy K 's bar in sunny Brighton , Pennsylvania . George Harvan her husband Jeremy and Francis were rowing over driving . Francis watched as the pair had been drinking all night . The row ##ed into the car , that 's when George - Harvan dropped the gun . She contends it was by accident when she tried to move it .