Accidental shooting kills one on set of new Alec Baldwin movie

[samsnee]

Why is she even giving interviews at all at this point?

 

[Babillygunn]

I am a former prosecutor. This case is NOT the type of case that you indict. When I heard that he had been charged, I assumed that there was more information that hasn’t been reported yet that was particularly inculpatory against Baldwin. But if their entire theory of the case rests with he should have checked the gun that the hired expert just told him was unloaded, then you decline prosecution 10 out of 10 times in that scenario.
The reason that I left being a prosecutor (aside from money) is that it is a highly bureaucratic and political job. You don’t have clients that you are representing so many prosecutors are motivated by their own selfish ambition. These types of prosecutors flock to politically hot cases and are the types who give interviews on shows like Hannity.

 

[Dr.]

Do you know if a dummy round(no propellent) would still be considered cold?

I’m not sure. Some say that “cold” refers to a gun that is absolutely empty. No live rounds (obviously!), no blank rounds, no dummy rounds. Others imply that “cold” is a more general term that means a gun is incapable of firing. Usually, this is because it is empty/unloaded. But a gun with inert, dummy rounds also meets the definition. In any event, confusion over dummy rounds wasn’t the issue in the Rust tragedy.

 

[Dr.]

I am a former prosecutor. This case is NOT the type of case that you indict. When I heard that he had been charged, I assumed that there was more information that hasn’t been reported yet that was particularly inculpatory against Baldwin. But if their entire theory of the case rests with he should have checked the gun that the hired expert just told him was unloaded, then you decline prosecution 10 out of 10 times in that scenario.

It seems like the charge against Baldwin might be based on two elements: He didn’t check the gun to confirm it was “cold”; he recklessly aimed the gun directly at a person — which is a violation of movie set safety protocols.

But establishing the latter might be... tricky. Apparently, in this scene rehearsal, Baldwin was directed to perform a “quick draw” and then aim the gun right at the camera (representing, presumably, the POV of some other character). Now perhaps, during actual filming (assuming that a round was to be fired at all), the camera would have been operated remotely (no one nearby). Or, some other precautions would have been taken. But for rehearsal — with an unloaded weapon that wasn’t even going to be “dry fired” — none of the crew seemed especially concerned that the choreography in question entailed having a firearm pointed at or near their own persons. (!) Put another way: even the victims of this tragedy didn’t believe that their very lives depended on Baldwin’s aim. Rather, they assumed their safety was assured because the gun was empty or — worse case scenario — the gun was loaded with blanks.

 

[Sithborg]

It’s not political, and yet… her first stop was Hannity?

Uh-huh.

Yeah, someone is going for their MAGA credentials in the next election.

 

[Pennywise]

Alec Baldwin No Longer Facing 5 Years In Prison For Fatal Rust Shooting – Deadline

 

[Spider-Fan83]

only recently caught an older interview Jensen Ackles did {pre-shooting}, where he mentioned this movie...

I had no idea he was even suppose to be in this

 

[Sithborg]

Jesus, it couldn't be more clear that this is politically motivated. Add in that dig at Baldwin's lawyers.

 

[AndrewGilkison]

It really felt like that DA just wanted to get attention for themselves.

 

[Sithborg]

It really felt like that DA just wanted to get attention for themselves.

Absolutely building her MAGA creds.

 

[Dr.]

The (linked) NY Times article mentioned an interesting detail: the “cold gun” that was handed to Baldwin (and announced as such) was ostensibly loaded with inert/dummy bullets. But other accounts say the weapon was ostensibly empty/unloaded. Either scenario would seem to meet the definition of “cold”: a gun incapable of firing any ammunition (because the bullets were inert or because there were no bullets at all). The difference, however, could be crucial to the case. The prosecution will no doubt claim that it was Baldwin’s responsibility to ensure that the “cold gun” was, in fact, “cold.” And in the case of an unloaded weapon, this would involve a simple check of the revolver’s chambers. With dummy rounds, on the other hand, Baldwin would have had to unload the gun and confirm that each and every round was not live. And this is not a quick inspection — because live and dummy rounds are superficially indistinguishable. (Indeed, that’s the point of a “dummy.”) Bottom line: it seems highly dubious that the crucially important diagnosis of live vs. dummy vs. blank should ever fall upon an actor. That’s the job of the armorer.

 

[Bary]

I feel bad for Baldwin on this as it was a clear accident and not intentional at all.

 

[Pennywise]

Alec Baldwin Pleads Not Guilty To Charges From Fatal Rust Shooting – Deadline

 

[Pennywise]

Rust Armorer Granted Gun Request By Judge In 1st Hearing In Criminal Case – Deadline

 

[Sawyer]

This seems… fishy?

 

[metaphysician]

Unless the gun explodes ( and somehow no one mentioned previously ), the only "blast injuries" I can imagine are hearing damage from being near the gun firing. Which would be fair, if negligence led to people being subject to unexpected noise levels without proper protection. . . but calling it "blast damage" doesn't do their case any favors.

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

Law and Crime - Alec Baldwin evidence stunner: New Mexico 'destroyed' gun used in 'Rust' shooting, lawyer reveals

CNBC - Prosecutors deny claim by Alec Baldwin’s lawyers that authorities destroyed gun in ‘Rust’ movie set shooting

 

[Dr.]

Alec Baldwin evidence stunner: New Mexico 'destroyed' gun used in 'Rust' shooting, lawyer reveals

There has been a follow-up report/clarification. According to the DA, the prop gun got slightly (?) damaged during FBI testing. But it is more-or-less intact and available to the defense.

IANAL but… Seems to me, Baldwin claiming the gun went off without pulling the trigger is 1) a weak assertion (because, almost certainly, he did pull the trigger) and 2) irrelevant. Guns are fired — by pulling the trigger — all the time on movie sets. And it’s never a life-or-death decision because live rounds are never supposed to be on a movie set. That, IMO, should be the core of Baldwin’s defense.

 

[Pennywise]

Alec Baldwin’s Resurrected Rust Movie Starts Casting; Criminal Case Weakened – Deadline

 

[kguillou]

Who the Heck would wanna be cast in this movie now??

 

[Dr.]

Who the Heck would wanna be cast in this movie now??

Just in terms of probability (and set safety), the odds of another fatal shooting on this production are astronomically low.

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

Vulture - The Manslaughter Case Against Alec Baldwin Is Not Going Well at All

 

[metaphysician]

Vulture - The Manslaughter Case Against Alec Baldwin Is Not Going Well at All

I'm not shocked. There might be grounds for a civil case, but criminal culpability? Unless they had evidence of some *serious* negligence on his part, that seemed dubious.

 

[Sithborg]

I'm not shocked. There might be grounds for a civil case, but criminal culpability? Unless they had evidence of some *serious* negligence on his part, that seemed dubious.

Its what happens when you are more eager to establish your MAGA creds for a statewide election, than, you know, the law.

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

NY Times - Ex-Prosecutor in ‘Rust’ Case Suggested Role ‘Might Help’ Her Campaign

LA Times - 'Rust' shooting prosecution against Alec Baldwin faces another setback
Alec Baldwin and armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed have been charged with involuntary manslaughter. Lead prosecutor tells the judge her office is "in dire straits" as it tries to prepare its case.