1 killed and 1 wounded on set of Alec Baldwin movie

[Coach]

His liability as the producer is a bigger deal than the actual shooting. The shooting wasn’t his fault as a performer using the weapon. It was his fault as a producer not providing a safe environment with munitions on set.

My guess is manslaughter.

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by Coach

His liability as the producer is a bigger deal than the actual shooting. The shooting wasn’t his fault as a performer using the weapon. It was his fault as a producer not providing a safe environment with munitions on set.

My guess is manslaughter.

and you're right. along with the armorer.

Alec Baldwin to be charged in fatal 'Rust' shooting

https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/bal...ion/index.html

Many other actors have said they “always check their guns or have someone check it front of them,” New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies told CNN shortly after announcing her intention of charging actor Alec Baldwin and film armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed with involuntary manslaughter.

[opendoor]

Seems like a bit of a stretch, unless it's based on role as a producer as well (which would be more appropriate).

But if the idea is that an actor who's handed a gun by someone who has cleared it is criminally responsible if it harms someone, that's pretty unreasonable and they're probably going to have a tough time getting a conviction. There's a reason that Michael Massee was never charged after Brandon Lee died under similar circumstances.

[Swift]

The CNN link has the attorney saying he's being charged for his role both as an actor and a producer. Like you said, the actor one doesn't make any sense. Actors don't have any particular obligation to check that the equipment they're being handed is safe.

As a producer though, he may be in deep water.

[TorqueDog]

Isn't that the typical approach though? Start with the highest possible charges with the knowledge you might only get conviction on lesser charges?

[GordonBlue]

from another article

"The prosecutor also announced that David Halls, the film’s first assistant director, has agreed to plead guilty to a charge of “negligent use of a deadly weapon.” Halls handed the loaded Colt .45 to Baldwin. Under the plea agreement, Halls will be given six months of probation but will not serve jail time."

[GordonBlue]

LA Times article on it.

https://www.latimes.com/entertainmen...y-manslaughter

also a reminder in there that Baldwin is already a liar.

Baldwin has long maintained his innocence, saying in televised interviews that gun safety wasn’t his responsibility and that he did not pull the trigger.

Reports prepared by FBI analysts in Virginia, however, cast doubt on that claim, saying a replica of a vintage Pietta Colt .45, “functioned normally when tested in the laboratory.”

The FBI report also noted that, in order for the revolver to fire, the trigger would have been pulled.


also, it suggests he might not have a leg to stand on with the "actors don't have to check the guns" defense.

“All my career, without incident, I’ve relied on the safety experts [on set] to declare the gun safe and never had a problem,” Baldwin said in 2022 at the Boulder International Film Festival. “And [then,] this happened.”

That defense might fall short, experts said.

“Regardless of what the practice may be in the entertainment industry, and regardless of what the protocols are on Hollywood sets, that’s not the law,” Ahouraian said. “The gun was in his hands. And if there’s any possibility that you are handling something that could harm someone, then you have an obligation to handle it safely.”

“Everyone in that chain of custody had some responsibility,” said Joshua Kastenberg, a law professor at the University of New Mexico. “ The ‘it’s not my job’ defense just doesn’t fly.’”

[Coach]

I don’t think the charges as the shooter will stick. Even with anecdotal evidence of other actors checking the gun (although that’s very smart of them). They are not required to know the difference between a live gun or not, although it seems reasonable to ask to have it shot first in front of you (which will likely be part of the protocol going forward).

As a producer definitely guilty IMO, same with the Armourer for sure. Interesting the AD plead to that lesser charge. Could have been something offered to Baldwin as well perhaps but stood firm on innocence. The AD is in the rank of responsibility, but also in deference to the paid expert. But it’s their job to make sure protocols are followed, which obviously didn’t happen.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by GordonBlue

LA Times article on it.

https://www.latimes.com/entertainmen...y-manslaughter

also a reminder in there that Baldwin is already a liar.

Baldwin has long maintained his innocence, saying in televised interviews that gun safety wasn’t his responsibility and that he did not pull the trigger.

Reports prepared by FBI analysts in Virginia, however, cast doubt on that claim, saying a replica of a vintage Pietta Colt .45, “functioned normally when tested in the laboratory.”

The FBI report also noted that, in order for the revolver to fire, the trigger would have been pulled.


also, it suggests he might not have a leg to stand on with the "actors don't have to check the guns" defense.

“All my career, without incident, I’ve relied on the safety experts [on set] to declare the gun safe and never had a problem,” Baldwin said in 2022 at the Boulder International Film Festival. “And [then,] this happened.”

That defense might fall short, experts said.

“Regardless of what the practice may be in the entertainment industry, and regardless of what the protocols are on Hollywood sets, that’s not the law,” Ahouraian said. “The gun was in his hands. And if there’s any possibility that you are handling something that could harm someone, then you have an obligation to handle it safely.”

“Everyone in that chain of custody had some responsibility,” said Joshua Kastenberg, a law professor at the University of New Mexico. “ The ‘it’s not my job’ defense just doesn’t fly.’”

No matter what, that's complete BS, he was not just an actor on the set, he was a producer as well, and a safe set and working environment is on the director and the producer.

I'm kind of wondering about the gun safety training. I know when I'm handed a fire arm, there are steps to make safe.

Also telling the difference between a blank round and a real round isn't super difficult and should be picked up if the weapon is inspected when its handed over to Baldwin.


AS far as it going off without pulling the trigger, its pretty close to impossible. you can pull the hammer back on most revolvers and release the hammer without the trigger but the hammer won't hit the bullet with enough force to fire the round.

Plus I believe a forensic lab saying this gun was functioning perfectly. I doubt in court that they could replicate firing the gun without pulling the trigger.

[CaptainCrunch]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opini...ts/6142800001/

[speede5]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I'm kind of wondering about the gun safety training. I know when I'm handed a fire arm, there are steps to make safe.

Also telling the difference between a blank round and a real round isn't super difficult and should be picked up if the weapon is inspected when its handed over to Baldwin.

I was in a stage production where we used six shooters/blanks and I can see how some of this could happen. Our armourer was a army guy and he was quite diligent with the weapons. We all saw the guns and blanks on the table during safety briefs but when it came time to go live, when you were handed the gun mid act you didn't have time to break it open and check all the rounds.

On a set I would think you wouldn't have that time crunch in between takes.

The real mind bender for me is that they took the prop guns out shooting. Once designated a prop they should never have had live ammo in them. imo.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by speede5

I was in a stage production where we used six shooters/blanks and I can see how some of this could happen. Our armourer was a army guy and he was quite diligent with the weapons. We all saw the guns and blanks on the table during safety briefs but when it came time to go live, when you were handed the gun mid act you didn't have time to break it open and check all the rounds.

On a set I would think you wouldn't have that time crunch in between takes.

The real mind bender for me is that they took the prop guns out shooting. Once designated a prop they should never have had live ammo in them. imo.

Someone is going to have to explain to me the reason Live Ammo is required on a movie set at all.

I dont get it. Its a movie. Is there something that live ammunition can do that cant be replicated somehow? I dont see how.

[speede5]

I think the general consensus is that it doesn't need to be anymore. I can see it being a cost issue for smaller productions adding in cgi flash etc but there are acceptable alternatives now. Possibly close up shots of the actors flinching/reacting to the bang would be hard to fake?

[Coach]

Originally Posted by speede5

I think the general consensus is that it doesn't need to be anymore. I can see it being a cost issue for smaller productions adding in cgi flash etc but there are acceptable alternatives now. Possibly close up shots of the actors flinching/reacting to the bang would be hard to fake?

I would say a simple cgi is easy and cheap, a good cgi is very difficult and probably expensive.

It’s also really expensive to operate with live ammo as you have to have (capable) accredited people and insurance and the aforementioned oversight that was missed in this case, likely because of cost.

But when dealing wven with things like dust flying off a gun and the atmosphere actually caused by a gun firing, it’s hard to replicate in cgi in some circumstances (a dusty western in mid-day for instance).

[D as in David]

Originally Posted by Locke

Someone is going to have to explain to me the reason Live Ammo is required on a movie set at all.

I dont get it. Its a movie. Is there something that live ammunition can do that cant be replicated somehow? I dont see how.

In America, it is unnatural for guns and real ammo to be separated for any period of time.

[GordonBlue]

plea deal accepted for the assistant director.

Baldwin codefendant gets 6 months probation on gun charge

https://www.mountainviewtoday.ca/lif...charge-6787268



‘Rust’ Assistant Director David Halls Pleads No Contest to Misdemeanor Deadly Weapons Charge
The Friday proceedings make the first AD the first ”Rust“ figure to be held formally accountable for Halyna Hutchins’ death

https://www.thewrap.com/rust-alec-ba...s-guilty-plea/

A judge approved the plea agreement to resolve the weapons-related charge against a codefendant in the case against Alec Baldwin concerning the 2021 on-set shooting death of the film’s cinematographer.

Prosecutors announced in January a proposed plea agreement with Halls concerning his responsibilities in the death of Halyna Hutchins.

He is also expected to testify at a preliminary hearing in May, as prosecutors pursue involuntary manslaughter charges against Baldwin and the film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed.

[chemgear]

Charges dropped.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by chemgear

Charges dropped.

As they should be, it was never going to stick and the prosecutors would have looked stupid over their inability to explain how live rounds got on the set, the investigation should have always been on that instead of painting Baldwin as reckless.

[jayswin]

For sure, I've always seen Alec Baldwin as a straight shooter.

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

As they should be, it was never going to stick and the prosecutors would have looked stupid over their inability to explain how live rounds got on the set, the investigation should have always been on that instead of painting Baldwin as reckless.

plus this.

The gun used in the fatal Rust shooting was so defective it could have fired without any pressure on the trigger, a source told ABC News Friday, which is why prosecutors dropped the charges against actor Alec Baldwin for his role in the 2021 shooting that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/anafagu...h=3a1d92f472a7