RAWLINS, Wyo. (AP) - A Carbon County man charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of another man this April posted $500,000 cash bail this week to secure his release from jail pending trial.

Forrest Bromley, 22, of Encampment is charged in the April 25 shooting death of Jason Voss.

According to court records, Bromley told an investigator that Voss had fallen with the gun and shot himself while the two were out shooting with another man.

But the investigator stated the other man told him that Bromley had aimed the shotgun at Voss "with a crazed look on his face" before shooting Voss in the head at close range.

An autopsy determined the gunshot path in Voss' body was horizontal, rather than vertical, corroborating the witness's statement that Voss was shot by someone else, court records said.

In May, Circuit Judge Jane Eakin rejected a request to reduce Bromley's bail to $100,000, saying the serious nature of the crime and the possibility that Bromley posed a threat to others justified the higher bail amount.

Cal Rerucha, chief deputy prosecutor, argued against the lower bail, saying Bromley is a known methamphetamine user and should be denied a lower bail amount, which could result in his release into a community in which guns are prevalent.

A law professor at the University of Wyoming said that posting a $500,000 cash bail, rather than having a commercial bail bondsman post a 10 percent bond, is unusual in the state.

"I suppose it's happened," said law professor Ted Lauer. "It's a high bond. I can't point to a case where somebody put up $500,000 cash."

Clint Bromley, Forrest Bromley's father, said the $500,000 was pooled in the last five months.

"There are a lot of family and friends that believe in him," Clint Bromley said. "There is a lot of community support. There are people from all over that supported him."

Lindy Glode, district court clerk for the past 17 years, said this is the first time she's seen someone post a $500,000 cash bail. Bromley was released from jail Monday.

County prosecutors declined comment. The Rawlins Daily Times reported it was unable to reach Jason Tangeman, Bromley's lawyer, for comment.

Bromley faces trial Nov. 26 in District Court.