Alec Baldwin fired prop gun, killing 1 on movie set, Oct 2021 #5

[Luna20]

Does Alec Baldwin have a concealed weapon permit or other governmental-issue permit showing he has been through an approved written and performance test to carry and use firearms?

Iirc someone spoke to this earlier on. I vaguely recall there being strict authoritative protocol for anyone handling a gun on set. I’m not sure if that intersects or transfers to personal CC.

 

[Zella]

Steve Wolf, an armorer, gave an interesting analysis of the case today. Starting at 7:00 below. He said he recommended to the prosecutor that she file charges in this case. He also questioned why AB may have relied on the Assistant Director -- rather than the armorer -- regarding the safety of the gun.

Thanks for posting this! It's one of the clearest explanations I've seen for why charges were warranted. MOO

 

[glamourkitty1922]

HG is also the person responsible for supplying the ammo to the site. She is the one that upon purchasing the ammo didn't make certain that there were no live rounds on set. IMVHO

Alec Baldwin was the producer on the set and was above everyone and is responsible for what happens on the set. He also was the one with the gun aimed at another human being which isn't allowed in most movie and stage productions.

 

[mickey2942]

Alec Baldwin was the producer on the set and was above everyone and is responsible for what happens on the set. He also was the one with the gun aimed at another human being which isn't allowed in most movie and stage productions.

In other words, the "buck" stopped with him. He was the "producer", meaning in charge of the hiring staff, supervision, everything. While he may have delegated jobs, in the end, making sure everything was done correctly...was his name on the paperwork.

Film producer - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Zella]

I think it has less to do with him being a producer than people are thinking. There were other producers on the film, and they're not being charged.

Per the video @clearskies1 posted earlier, an armorer named Steve Nash who advised the prosecutor on charges said he told her that in his opinion the armorer and Baldwin were the two criminally negligent people on set. It had nothing to do with Baldwin being a producer--at least not in the reasoning he laid out.

To him, the problem was there was a set safety procedure where only the armorer is responsible for a weapon, and the armorer and Baldwin both violated that by an AD being the one to hand him the gun and tell him it was clear. In his own words, that was like having someone from "craft services" say the gun was okay to use. Baldwin in that scenario isn't responsible as a producer. He's responsible as an actor who should have known to only accept that weapon as safe to use from the armorer.

I honestly think if the armorer had handed him a loaded gun and told him it was okay to use and he fired it and killed someone under those circumstances, he probably wouldn't be facing charges. MOO

 

[SteveS]

Alec Baldwin... also was the one with the gun aimed at another human being which isn't allowed in most movie and stage productions.

I think this ("the gun aimed at another human being which isn't allowed") is another important part of the equation.

If this is correct (and this is what I too have heard reported, and I can't imagine it being any other way), then even with the questions of the ammo protocols, there was no circumstance in which AB would have had any permission whatsoever to aim that gun at a person. Not Ever. No manner whatever his lame excuse was, to be playing with that gun at the time.

That also aligns with general gun safety principles that tell you to NEVER aim your gun at anything or anyone that you don't intend to shoot. Because, this.

Had AB followed the rules, and made sure to not point the gun at anyone, the fact that he shot the gun (on purpose or not) wouldn't have mattered, because he wouldn't have hit anyone.

When the gun goes off and two people get hit, and one killed, because YOU didn't follow that safety rule, that sure seems like being negligent. And it seems like negligent to a CRIMINAL degree, when your carelessness/laziness/recklessness/arrogance takes the life of a person with lots of life to live.

 

[clearskies1]

I think this ("the gun aimed at another human being which isn't allowed") is another important part of the equation.

If this is correct (and this is what I too have heard reported, and I can't imagine it being any other way), then even with the questions of the ammo protocols, there was no circumstance in which AB would have had any permission whatsoever to aim that gun at a person. Not Ever. No manner whatever his lame excuse was, to be playing with that gun at the time.

That also aligns with general gun safety principles that tell you to NEVER aim your gun at anything or anyone that you don't intend to shoot. Because, this.

Had AB followed the rules, and made sure to not point the gun at anyone, the fact that he shot the gun (on purpose or not) wouldn't have mattered, because he wouldn't have hit anyone.

When the gun goes off and two people get hit, and one killed, because YOU didn't follow that safety rule, that sure seems like being negligent. And it seems like negligent to a CRIMINAL degree, when your carelessness/laziness/recklessness/arrogance takes the life of a person with lots of life to live.

I think there is an interview where AB claims that the victim told him to point the gun at her or the camera. Was it in the Stephanopolous interview? If I recall correctly, people were all over him for this explanation --i.e., how convenient that he blames the person who died. JMO.

 

[Luna20]

I think there is an interview where AB claims that the victim told him to point the gun at her or the camera. Was it in the Stephanopolous interview? If I recall correctly, people were all over him for this explanation --i.e., how convenient that he blames the person who died. JMO.

You are right, I had forgotten about that. How cruel of him! I remember her husband being revolted over it.

 

[everybodhi]

I think there is an interview where AB claims that the victim told him to point the gun at her or the camera. Was it in the Stephanopolous interview? If I recall correctly, people were all over him for this explanation --i.e., how convenient that he blames the person who died. JMO.

Alec Baldwin Will Be Charged With Involuntary Manslaughter in ‘Rust’ Killing

Mr. Baldwin has maintained that he is not responsible for the shooting, saying that Ms. Hutchins had been directing him where to point the gun and that he did not pull the trigger before the gun discharged. He told investigators he had pulled the hammer back and let it go in an action that might have set it off.

“I know 1,000 percent I’m not responsible for what happened to her,” Mr. Baldwin told an investigator, Detective Alexandria Hancock, in a phone call following the shooting.

Ms. Carmack-Altwies.. said an F.B.I. analysis of the gun showed “conclusively” that the trigger had been pulled.

 

[everybodhi]

The gun was out of HG sight. It’s her job to watch it or lock it with NO ONE else having the key. She is the sole gun keeper, it should never be unattended by her. AB shot the gun…and lied about it thereafter.

I agree with the prosecutors. The set wasn’t maintained safely/properly and the producer was sloppy with keeping things in order.

I guess someone decided she wasn’t important enough to be there

“(Ms. Gutierrez-Reed was not in the building at the time of the shooting — which also wounded the film’s director, Joel Souza — because of coronavirus protocols that limited how many people could be present, she has said.)”

Alec Baldwin Charges Spur Debate on Responsibility for Guns on Set

 

[everybodhi]

They should bury the movie, out of respect for Halyna’s family, who should never have had to bury her so young. Just doing her job.

jmo

Interesting part of the settlement of Mr Hutchin’s lawsuit.

Alec Baldwin Will Be Charged With Involuntary Manslaughter in ‘Rust’ Killing
BBM
“Last year, Matthew Hutchins, the widower of Ms. Hutchins, agreed to settle his wrongful death lawsuit against the “Rust” production.
Under the agreement, Mr. Hutchins would become an executive producer of “Rust,” which had been set to resume filming this month. It was not immediately clear how the planned charges would affect those plans.

A lawyer for Mr. Hutchins, Brian J. Panish, said in a statement that he agreed with the decision to bring criminal charges.”

 

[Mo Thuairim]

With the Alec Baldwin charges, what will happen to the production of 'Rust'?

Actor Alec Baldwin will face criminal charges in the accidental, on-set fatal shooting of a cinematographer. What now for 'Rust'?

finance.yahoo.com

With the Alec Baldwin charges, what will happen to the production of 'Rust'?​

(...)

Matthew Hutchins, the widower of Halyna Hutchins, joined the production in October as an executive producer, as part of a wrongful death lawsuit settlement with Alec Baldwin and the other producers. Hutchins said finishing the film would be a "tribute to Halyna’s final work."

However, significant roadblocks exist in restarting filming.

With Thursday's announcement of felony charges expected to be filed against Baldwin in the accidental firing of a prop gun that killed Hutchins, questions are swirling as to when, if ever, the film will get made.

(...)

When Halyna Hutchins’ family settled a wrongful death lawsuit against Baldwin and other "Rust" film producers in October, part of the deal was that the film would resume production.

With Matthew Hutchins, the cinematographer's husband, as an executive producer, it was announced the western would pick up again, with all the original principal players on board, in January 2023.

(...)

The full details of the settlement were not disclosed. Although it is unclear whether the film would be profitable, the filmmakers need to complete the project to qualify for the New Mexico film tax incentive they applied for in mid-2021.

The film's director, Joel Souza, signaled he was also on board. He was injured by the same bullet that killed Hutchins.

(...)

Along with the charges, which are expected to be filed later this month, New Mexico’s First Judicial Dist. Atty. Mary Carmack-Altwies, could impose pretrial conditions that would prevent Baldwin from returning to the scene of the alleged crime, handling weapons on set or having contact with witnesses.

Baldwin was a producer and a starring member of the cast. Filming had taken place at the Bonanza Creek Ranch, outside of Santa Fe, N.M.

Melina Spadone, attorney for the "Rust" production, declined to comment on plans to restart filming or on where filming would occur. Previously, Spadone told Variety that producers were not returning to film in New Mexico and were considering filming in California.

(...)

 

[arielilane]

Baldwin to be charged with involuntary manslaughter for shooting on 'Rust' film set​

Alec Baldwin will be charged this month with two counts of involuntary manslaughter for the shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Baldwin to be charged with involuntary manslaughter for shooting on 'Rust' film set

Alec Baldwin will be charged this month with two counts of involuntary manslaughter for the shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

www.wcpo.com

 

[happyday]

Alec Baldwin was the producer on the set and was above everyone and is responsible for what happens on the set. He also was the one with the gun aimed at another human being which isn't allowed in most movie and stage productions.

What is your source for this? I worked in the industry for many years and on many sets and IME, this is not true at all. Actors point guns at people all the time. That’s why it is so important to have professionals who know what they’re doing to make sure all is safe.

I think some people are treating this situation like everyday life, where you absolutely never point a gun at a person and that the buck stops with the person handling it. And that you never handle a gun without knowing how to safely handle it. That’s just not the case on a set when you have actors who may or may not know anything at all about guns in situations where they are handling them and yes, pointing them and sometimes even pulling the trigger. That’s just how it is. Not real life at all (except that real people are involved and can get shot). It’s constantly a disaster waiting to happen IMO, and I think it’s stupidity and stubbornness that the industry won’t ban real firearms on sets. MOO

 

[clearskies1]

What is your source for this? I worked in the industry for many years and on many sets and IME, this is not true at all. Actors point guns at people all the time. That’s why it is so important to have professionals who know what they’re doing to make sure all is safe.

I think some people are treating this situation like everyday life, where you absolutely never point a gun at a person and that the buck stops with the person handling it. And that you never handle a gun without knowing how to safely handle it. That’s just not the case on a set when you have actors who may or may not know anything at all about guns in situations where they are handling them and yes, pointing them and sometimes even pulling the trigger. That’s just how it is. Not real life at all (except that real people are involved and can get shot). It’s constantly a disaster waiting to happen IMO, and I think it’s stupidity and stubbornness that the industry won’t ban real firearms on sets. MOO

My feeling is that if an actor doesn't want to take the time and effort to learn gun safety, he/she should not take the role. If you have a gun -- whether you are on actor or not -- you need to act with due care. If people are pointing guns at other people, they should know that they could be held criminally liable. Just because everyone does it, doesn't make it acceptable. Maybe this tragedy will teach the industry something they should have understood a long time ago. JMO.

 

[Ceska]

In other words, the "buck" stopped with him. He was the "producer", meaning in charge of the hiring staff, supervision, everything. While he may have delegated jobs, in the end, making sure everything was done correctly...was his name on the paperwork.

Film producer - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

DBM. Double post.

 

[Ceska]

In other words, the "buck" stopped with him. He was the "producer", meaning in charge of the hiring staff, supervision, everything. While he may have delegated jobs, in the end, making sure everything was done correctly...was his name on the paperwork.

Film producer - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

To be fair, there are six producers on that film. So I doubt that the buck stopped with AB, there are five other producers.

Alec Baldwin was the producer on the set and was above everyone and is responsible for what happens on the set. He also was the one with the gun aimed at another human being which isn't allowed in most movie and stage productions.

Actually there are six producers on that film, not just AB. Guns are used, and pointed, in films all the time.

 

[Ceska]

Really, without knowing who supplied the live rounds for that gun, I don't see how this case can really go forward or convict anyone, most of all AB. Two people were supposed to inspect that weapon before handing it over to AB, it appears those two individuals did not do that.

 

[Ceska]

My feeling is that if an actor doesn't want to take the time and effort to learn gun safety, he/she should not take the role. If you have a gun -- whether you are on actor or not -- you need to act with due care. If people are pointing guns at other people, they should know that they could be held criminally liable. Just because everyone does it, doesn't make it acceptable. Maybe this tragedy will teach the industry something they should have understood a long time ago. JMO.

Has it been proven that AB refused a gun safety class or on set training? Asking because I have not read about that, is there a link for information about this?

 

[clearskies1]

Has it been proven that AB refused a gun safety class or on set training? Asking because I have not read about that, is there a link for information about this?

There's been no trial so I don't think anything has been proven yet. I was talking generically about actors, as was the poster I was responding to.