Stand behind Alec Baldwin…

[BHPSteel]

I get it. when a homicide occurs, there's a natural expectation that someone should answer for that death via a murder or manslaughter charge. That's what justice is meant to look like.

Personally (and I hate the holy living **** out of Baldwin) a more appropriate charge would be criminal negligence. Whether he placed the round in the revolver or not, he had (numerous times OTHER than as an actor on the Rust set) an obligation to follow the guidelines laid down regarding firearm safety IN EVERY SAFETY BRIEFING provided by his own production company.

The 4 rules aren't enforceable by law (and I wouldn't want them to be) but to not follow them is clearly negligent. From a practical point of view, criminal negligence does away with the need to demonstrate what was going on in Baldwin's mind at the time that he pulled that trigger.

It clearly indicates what WASN'T going on in his mind at the time he pulled the trigger and someone died.

 

[CTS Tactical]

nope, not what I said at all.

That is what it sounds like. He was negligent, you say he shouldn't be charged. Someone please name any other scenario where someone hands you a gun, tells you it is safe, you shoot and kill someone with it and you don't get charged with something. This was a practice session, cameras not even rolling from what I understand and no reason what so ever to point the gun at another human being in the first place.

 

[teearr]

That’s not in dispute. I agree. You’re responsible for your actions. The only difference (and not really an exception to the rules) is that if I crack open a “prop gun” (I understand that this gun was real), as an actor, I may not know how to distinguish between a live round and dummy rounds or blanks. I’m only saying that because there’s a level of trust that as an actor you assume that the director, armorer, prop folks all know their jobs and followed the protocols as far as separating dummy rounds from blanks and kept live rounds off the set. What good is checking the chamber if it’s got blanks or dummies that are realistic looking for film but I don’t know the difference?

But…as producer and a long time actor Baldwin is still responsible for that set. That’s why he’s culpable. I just think the level of negligence on the part of the director who handed him the gun calling it “cold” and the armorer is much higher. We don’t disagree that Baldwin should own his role in the death of the woman. I just think he’s not alone in it.

Has anyone considered that this may have been a set up, thinking that perhaps Baldwin would be the only one culpable? We may not be the only people that think Baldwin is an asshat.

 

[Bear44]

So negligence is ok when handling a gun?

Not negligent, ignorant. Unlike those of us that choose to own and use firearms, he is just an actor that is supposed to be handling a harmless prop.

Damn, I can't believe I'm having to defend F-ing Alec Baldwin.

 

[BHPSteel]

The purpose of the routine AND MANDATORY firearm handling training that is conducted on movie sets is to ensure that the crew and actors do not remain ignorant when handling deadly devices.

 

[roydamnmercer]

Has anyone considered that this may have been a set up, thinking that perhaps Baldwin would be the only one culpable? We may not be the only people that think Baldwin is an asshat.

It’s possible, and I’m sure being investigated. Most likely though, it was an inept armorer hired through nepotism and budgetary considerations. I think good old fashioned “cutting corners to save a buck” was at play here. I’ll subscribe to the principle of “Occam’s Razor” here.

 

[Bear44]

I get it. when a homicide occurs, there's a natural expectation that someone should answer for that death via a murder or manslaughter charge. That's what justice is meant to look like.

Personally (and I hate the holy living **** out of Baldwin) a more appropriate charge would be criminal negligence. Whether he placed the round in the revolver or not, he had (numerous times OTHER than as an actor on the Rust set) an obligation to follow the guidelines laid down regarding firearm safety IN EVERY SAFETY BRIEFING provided by his own production company.

The 4 rules aren't enforceable by law (and I wouldn't want them to be) but to not follow them is clearly negligent. From a practical point of view, criminal negligence does away with the need to demonstrate what was going on in Baldwin's mind at the time that he pulled that trigger.

It clearly indicates what WASN'T going on in his mind at the time he pulled the trigger and someone died.

I'll take it a step further and point out that the typical safety rules for firearms simply do not apply on a set where the gun is supposed to be just a prop. They point them and fire them (blanks) at each other all the time as part of their use.

 

[roydamnmercer]

Not negligent, ignorant. Unlike those of us that choose to own and use firearms, he is just an actor that is supposed to be handling a harmless prop.

Damn, I can't believe I'm having to defend F-ing Alec Baldwin.

Ignorantia juris non excusat

“Ignorance of the law is no excuse” is a bedrock legal principle for a reason.

 

[Asbestos]

That is what it sounds like. He was negligent, you say he shouldn't be charged. Someone please name any other scenario where someone hands you a gun, tells you it is safe, you shoot and kill someone with it and you don't get charged with something. This was a practice session, cameras not even rolling from what I understand and no reason what so ever to point the gun at another human being in the first place.

if your wife was an actress and the set armorer handed her a weapon... She fires, co-star dies.... Are you calling for your wife to be locked up? Please, save the bs stories about how your wife would know better and all that horse shyt... just a yes or no will suffice.

And along with Bear44 , I can't believe I'm having to defend the douche bag either.

Your cars brakes go out because the certified ASE mechanic was drunk on the job and caused your brake problem.. you plow over some kids crossing the street... Are you turning yourself in for vehicular homicide?

 

[BHPSteel]

A firearm that can fire blanks - which you ALSO shouldn't fire at people - is a firearm that is capable of firing a live round.

Why would you have live rounds on a film set? Good question. However, people at the production site WERE out plinking with firearms when filming wasn't going on. That too was probably not a good idea either. That whole production was run like the wild west. No prudent person (least of all the owners of the production company) would have dismissed that as not being a risk factor.