Alec Baldwin charged with involuntary manslaughter in fatal 'Rust' shooting: district attorney

[Scott]

 

Alec Baldwin was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Halyna Hutchins. 

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who was the armorer on the film ‘Rust,’ was also charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter.

Halyna's family thanked the sheriff's office and the DA after the charges were announced.

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/alec-baldwin-charged-involuntary-manslaughter-fatal-rust-shooting-district-attorney

 

 

 

[Tug]

Imo he shouldn’t be charged even though it was his actions that caused the death now the person in charge of the props should she was negligent she imo is the responsible party 

[pacovl46]

They hired that woman to take care of all the gun stuff and she didn't do her job. I don't see how Baldwin can be held resposnsible for her negligence. He was there to act and although he was the producer as well,  he can't do everything and he was told the gun is cold. 

 

The one thing for an actor/actress to take away from this is to check the prop gun regardless of what the gun master tells you.

[radiochaser]

baldwin pointed a a revolver at someone and then pulled the trigger.

First rule of gun safety, never point a firearm at anyone or anything you do not intend to shoot!

The most common words out of the mouth of someone after an negligent discharge ... "I didn't know it was loaded"!

 

[jimn]

3 hours ago, radiochaser said:

baldwin pointed a a revolver at someone and then pulled the trigger.

First rule of gun safety, never point a firearm at anyone or anything you do not intend to shoot!

The most common words out of the mouth of someone after an negligent discharge ... "I didn't know it was loaded"!

 

He was making a movie for heavens sake. They employ people to take care of the safety of the equipment. He had every right to expect the gun to be safe. This is just an over zealous prosecutor, the case should be thrown out, utter nonsense.

[ozimoron]

I think he's guilty based on the fact that he wasn't required to point the gun at the person he shot.It wasn't in the script. At that point he was, to some extent, behaving recklessly. He should have checked the gun as anybody would.

 

Other than that, I think it wasn't his problem that the gun had a live bullet in the chamber. If the shooting had occurred in the making of the film he would have been blameless.

[Smokey and the Bandit]

3 hours ago, radiochaser said:

baldwin pointed a a revolver at someone and then pulled the trigger.

First rule of gun safety, never point a firearm at anyone or anything you do not intend to shoot!

The most common words out of the mouth of someone after an negligent discharge ... "I didn't know it was loaded"!

 

Correct,almost,  the first rule if gun safety is always assume the gun is loaded with a live round!

Its up to the actual person using the weapon to check  first?

[xtrnuno41]

1 hour ago, jimn said:

He was making a movie for heavens sake. They employ people to take care of the safety of the equipment. He had every right to expect the gun to be safe. This is just an over zealous prosecutor, the case should be thrown out, utter nonsense.

No radiochaser is right! Baldwin is also wrong to not double check on the gun and not obeying that rule! He should have known that, it is the standard rule with guns.

In my work, I switched of electric. Then checked my meter if it was working right, then measured on the device if i did right and also then again after measuring I checked my meter if that one was still right. Then I disconnect.

Safety when you are busy with dangerous things.

[billd766]

4 hours ago, radiochaser said:

baldwin pointed a a revolver at someone and then pulled the trigger.

First rule of gun safety, never point a firearm at anyone or anything you do not intend to shoot!

The most common words out of the mouth of someone after an negligent discharge ... "I didn't know it was loaded"!

 

@radiochaser is 100% correct.

 

Once you take over the weapon it is your responsibility. If you didn't load it then check it immediately while pointing it away from people.

 

When I was in the RAF back in the 1960s, when you finished range firing practise, it was a case of magazine off, work the action 3 times, put your thumb into the breech, look for the light on your thumbnail from the barrel, point the weapon at the firing butts and pull the trigger.

 

If you saw no light on your thumbnail, carefully lay the weapon down pointing it downrange, and report the stoppage to the range master.

 

NEVER never never point any weapon at a person unless you are going to shoot them.

 

I think that with a revolver you need to open the chamber, and check that the cylinder is empty before closing the cylinder and pulling the trigger a few times pointing the gun at the ground and minding your toes and feet.

 

[JonnyF]

He should have checked the gun.

 

To point a gun at someone and pull the trigger without checking if it is loaded, is an incredibly stupid thing to do. Reckless in the extreme.

 

His behaviour/explanations after the incident did nothing to convince me off his innocence. Claiming the gun went off on it's own!!

 

I believe he will be found guilty.

[ozimoron]

Hero of the right wing, Alan Dershowitz doesn't think he should be charged.

 

https://www.newsweek.com/why-charging-alec-baldwin-manslaughter-wrong-opinion-1775163

[NickyLouie]

Hope the sleazebag does hard time.

[Hummin]

2 hours ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

Correct,almost,  the first rule if gun safety is always assume the gun is loaded with a live round!

Its up to the actual person using the weapon to check  first?

Obviously you and me are trained handled weapons, but if I was on a movie set given ha movie prop, Im sure I would have for one second believed it was loaded! 

[mikeymike100]

3 hours ago, ozimoron said:

I think he's guilty based on the fact that he wasn't required to point the gun at the person he shot.It wasn't in the script. At that point he was, to some extent, behaving recklessly. He should have checked the gun as anybody would.

 

Other than that, I think it wasn't his problem that the gun had a live bullet in the chamber. If the shooting had occurred in the making of the film he would have been blameless.

He didn't follow basic gun safety procedure ?

[mikeymike100]

1 hour ago, JonnyF said:

He should have checked the gun.

 

To point a gun at someone and pull the trigger without checking if it is loaded, is an incredibly stupid thing to do. Reckless in the extreme.

 

His behaviour/explanations after the incident did nothing to convince me off his innocence. Claiming the gun went off on it's own!!

 

I believe he will be found guilty.

I agree, plus there were around 150 live rounds/bullets found on the set. Why were any live rounds on the set at all?

[JonnyF]

1 hour ago, ozimoron said:

Hero of the right wing, Alan Dershowitz doesn't think he should be charged.

 

https://www.newsweek.com/why-charging-alec-baldwin-manslaughter-wrong-opinion-1775163

What has him being right wing got to do with anything?

 

Dershowitz appears to be oblivious to the difference between manslaughter and homicide.

 

If someone gave me a machete and told me it was blunt and incapable of cutting human skin, I still wouldn't swing it at someone's neck, then blame them when it cut their jugular. He didn't check, he pointed it and he pulled the trigger. That's pretty much the definition of manslaughter. His only hope was not being charged. Now it's going to trial, I don't see how he cannot be found guilty.

 

[Rimmer]

I have shot and owned many pistols including a 9mm DWM Luger, also antique colt single action Army pistols as well as antique black powder Colt .36 and single action Remington .44 pistols also .577 black powder cap and ball rifles.

 

The hammer on a single action colt has to pulled back and wont release until the trigger is pulled.

 

Under no circumstances would I EVER allow myself to point a gun empty or loaded in the direction of a person, it is simply not done, and as for pulling the trigger that is downright irresponsible.

[ThailandRyan]

8 hours ago, Tug said:

Imo he shouldn’t be charged even though it was his actions that caused the death now the person in charge of the props should she was negligent she imo is the responsible party 

Excuse me, it is involuntary manslaughter, not voluntary manslaughter and not murder.  He may have been given a weapon, but he himself needs to ensure that it is cold, and not just take someone's word for it.  He is on the hook for this whether you believe he should be or not.

[placeholder]

14 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

What has him being right wing got to do with anything?

 

Dershowitz appears to be oblivious to the difference between manslaughter and homicide.

 

If someone gave me a machete and told me it was blunt and incapable of cutting human skin, I still wouldn't swing it at someone's neck, then blame them when it cut their jugular. He didn't check, he pointed it and he pulled the trigger. That's pretty much the definition of manslaughter. His only hope was not being charged. Now it's going to trial, I don't see how he cannot be found guilty.

 

He could plead that he thought it wasn't a real gun. Just a prop.

[ozimoron]

1 hour ago, placeholder said:

He could plead that he thought it wasn't a real gun. Just a prop.

I don't understand why it was a real gun. It's not like they couldn't edit in gunshots.

Edited January 20, 2023 by ozimoron

[mikeymike100]

15 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

I don't understand why it was a real gun. It's not like they couldn't edit in gunshots.

You make a fair point!

Replica guns and real guns have a different appearance and weight, which always results in holding them differently than a fake gun. Some directors prefer this natural approach, as it’s far more authentic for both the actor and the audiences watching their work?

[ozimoron]

2 minutes ago, mikeymike100 said:

You make a fair point!

Replica guns and real guns have a different appearance and weight, which always results in holding them differently than a fake gun. Some directors prefer this natural approach, as it’s far more authentic for both the actor and the audiences watching their work?

They don't need to and in any case the barrel could be plugged or otherwise disabled.

[mikeymike100]

6 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

They don't need to and in any case the barrel could be plugged or otherwise disabled.

'Real' guns using blank cartridges are used by many directors/producers because they create the impression of a flash, smoke and kickback, which is more realistic, especially the kick back.

Using blanks the barrel cannot be plugged.

[jimn]

13 hours ago, xtrnuno41 said:

No radiochaser is right! Baldwin is also wrong to not double check on the gun and not obeying that rule! He should have known that, it is the standard rule with guns.

In my work, I switched of electric. Then checked my meter if it was working right, then measured on the device if i did right and also then again after measuring I checked my meter if that one was still right. Then I disconnect.

Safety when you are busy with dangerous things.

So why bother with having a safety expert on set when filming. As an actor you are entitled to assume these things have been checked. Maybe its because I am a Brit where the US gun culture is not part of my daily life. I would hate to live in fear in the US where guns are an everyday concern. We have many issues but guns 100% not, in fact I have never seen a live gun and I do not know anyone who owns one, thank goodness.

[candide]

18 hours ago, billd766 said:

@radiochaser is 100% correct.

 

Once you take over the weapon it is your responsibility. If you didn't load it then check it immediately while pointing it away from people.

 

When I was in the RAF back in the 1960s, when you finished range firing practise, it was a case of magazine off, work the action 3 times, put your thumb into the breech, look for the light on your thumbnail from the barrel, point the weapon at the firing butts and pull the trigger.

 

If you saw no light on your thumbnail, carefully lay the weapon down pointing it downrange, and report the stoppage to the range master.

 

NEVER never never point any weapon at a person unless you are going to shoot them.

 

I think that with a revolver you need to open the chamber, and check that the cylinder is empty before closing the cylinder and pulling the trigger a few times pointing the gun at the ground and minding your toes and feet.

 

Ok, but did Baldwin get the same training as you did? 

[EVENKEEL]

The job I had before retiring 3 yrs ago I carried a 9mm. The gun was first shown to me to be clear and safe, meaning no magazine and no bullet in chamber before I took possession. I really can't see how the movie set should be any different. When Baldwin took possession of the 6 shooter it should have been shown to be unloaded and then if blanks were to be  used he himself should be required to verify that.

 

You can't just be handed a gun and told it's cold. Also Baldwin was the producer, so he had a greater responsibility for gun safety than just an actor.

[Rimmer]

3 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

The job I had before retiring 3 yrs ago I carried a 9mm. The gun was first shown to me to be clear and safe, meaning no magazine and no bullet in chamber before I took possession. I really can't see how the movie set should be any different. When Baldwin took possession of the 6 shooter it should have been shown to be unloaded and then if blanks were to be  used he himself should be required to verify that.

 

You can't just be handed a gun and told it's cold. Also Baldwin was the producer, so he had a greater responsibility for gun safety than just an actor.

 

It seems a number of set and cast members were out the back plinking at tin cans earlier in the day, maybe they got called off their 'range' and someone left one live round in the chamber, put the gun down and then someone else picked it up and filled the gun with five dummy rounds or they simply did not clear the chambers of live rounds before bringing it on to the set, either way someone put a live round in the gun and as you say someone did not check before handing it over, I would suggest its way wrong to have live rounds on a film set to play with out the back, has to be an accident waiting to happen and someone must be held responsible. 

[billd766]

4 hours ago, candide said:

Ok, but did Baldwin get the same training as you did? 

I have absolutely no idea.

 

I remember seeing one get a swift booting by the range master because he had a stoppage in the rifle and was turning around with the rifle in his hands. He had not done the stoppage drill at all.

Edited January 21, 2023 by billd766
added extra text

[Bkk Brian]

"Many news reports about the case have mentioned the 1993 death of Brandon Lee, who was shot by a fellow actor holding a prop gun during the filming of The Crow in North Carolina in 1993, the shooting, which occurred during the character’s death scene, was ruled accidental."

 

Alec Baldwin Manslaughter Charge Is a Stretch

I have no particular reason to defend Alec Baldwin, but there’s something unsettling about the manslaughter charges announced this week in the wake of last year’s tragic shooting on the set of the movie Rust. The controversial actor was holding a prop gun that he thought was filled with blanks; a live round fired and killed a cinematographer. A horrific accident, yes. But a crime? Here, matters are murkier.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/alec-baldwin-manslaughter-charge-is-a-stretch/2023/01/20/983f0a22-98e2-11ed-a173-61e055ec24ef_story.html

 

https://archive.ph/BwYgg (no paywall)

[radiochaser]

On 1/19/2023 at 9:25 PM, jimn said:

He was making a movie for heavens sake. They employ people to take care of the safety of the equipment. He had every right to expect the gun to be safe. This is just an over zealous prosecutor, the case should be thrown out, utter nonsense.

The person most responsible for firearm safety, is the person that has it in his (or her) hand!  As I understand it, baldwin was the movie or show producer and if I understand that role, then he has ultimate responsibility for what happens on the set. 

baldwin may have the right to expect that the firearm was not loaded, but he had the ultimate responsibility, as the person who was operating the firearm, to make sure that it was not loaded with live rounds.   Easy to do, open the cylinder and look! 

As I have written before, the most common words out of a person's mouth, after a negligent discharge is, I didn't know it was loaded! What do you think that baldwin is claiming now about the firearm being loaded with a live round.   

Besides, he pointed it at a person, which is not done when filming, it just looks like the actors do that, then cocked the hammer on the revolver, then pulled the trigger.  That, is what the FBI investigation has determined.   The revolver did not just go off by itself, he pulled the trigger!  So baldwin has the ultimate responsibility for wounding one person and killing another!