this post was submitted on 20 Jan 2024
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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/10928093

Grand jury in New Mexico charged the actor for a shooting on Rust set that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins

Actor Alec Baldwin is facing a new involuntary manslaughter charge over the 2021 fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of the movie Rust.

A Santa Fe, New Mexico, grand jury indicted Baldwin on Friday, months after prosecutors had dismissed the same criminal charge against him.

During an October 2021 rehearsal on the set of Rust, a western drama, Baldwin was pointing a gun at cinematographer Halyna Hutchins when it went off, fatally striking her and wounding Joel Souza, the film’s director.

Baldwin, a co-producer and star of the film, has said he did not pull the trigger, but pulled back the hammer of the gun before it fired.

Last April, special prosecutors dismissed the involuntary manslaughter charge against Baldwin, saying the firearm might have been modified prior to the shooting and malfunctioned and that forensic analysis was warranted. But in August, prosecutors said they were considering re-filing the charges after a new analysis of the weapon was completed.

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[–] Jackcooper@lemmy.world 20 points 9 months ago (3 children)

What does society gain by charging him for this?

[–] Vash63@lemmy.world 17 points 9 months ago (1 children)
[–] Pietson@kbin.social 4 points 9 months ago (3 children)

Except he did nothing wrong? The person that should be held accountable is the armourer

[–] Rachelhazideas@lemmy.world 11 points 9 months ago

Doing nothing when it comes to safety regulation is doing everything wrong.

[–] jonne@infosec.pub 6 points 9 months ago

Except he's the one that hired the armorer.

[–] bilboswaggings@sopuli.xyz 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Alec Baldwin was also the producer, so he has a say in who they hire.. which means he should also be held accountable

[–] Pietson@kbin.social 7 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

He was one of the producers, but the others aren't being procecuted, probably because some ambitious procecutor likes the idea of boosting their ego and career with such a high profile case. I've also heard his responsibilities the set didn't include overseeing hires

[–] ItsAFake@lemmus.org 13 points 9 months ago (2 children)

More than if we let celebrities get away with stuff us peasants would be charged with.

Just because you like his acting doesn't mean he should be free of accountability.

If I accidentally shoot and kill someone and my defence is I thought it was unloaded, I'm sure as fuck going to jail for involuntary manslaughter.

[–] Bayz0r@lemmy.world 7 points 9 months ago (1 children)

That's an unfair comparison.

If someone hands you a gun that by all accounts should not be able to fire a bullet that can injure or kill, in a highly controlled setting with a professional armorer, and that gun kills someone when you didn't even pull the trigger you should not go to jail.

The gun was apparently modified and had real bullets, both of which were the fault of the armor (the mod was seemingly done by someone else but the armorer should have caught it). Sure, you can speak about blame over hiring an incompetent armorer on everyone involved on the production and certification side, but that's a different matter and not what's being discussed here.

[–] funkless_eck@sh.itjust.works 8 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I'm an actor, with some combat experience (99.9% swords, a couple of fake gun shots, but they were stage not film).

The idea of this happening is terrifying to me, and makes me want to never do firearms choreo. However, whether sword or firearm, if i injured someone during choreo I would know it's my fault. I am supposed to always be able to control what I'm doing and if I'm advancing and cutting at their head, even if they forgot to parry or dodge my blade shouldn't hit their head. If it does - my fault. Its drilled into us.

Having not done firearm choreo on film myself I can't speak to it, but really there should be no reason to point a live gun (even w/ blanks) at someone, you can set spikes (floor marks) to cheat the angle (make it look like you're standing opposite but you're offset) and then you a tape measure to ensure if the gun discharges nothings in the line of fire.

Actors can spend hours with an intimacy coordinator working out a kiss, or with a dialect coach working on an accent, or stunt coordinator working out falling down some stairs, it shouldn't be different for working with a deadly weapon.

[–] GlitterInfection@lemmy.world 3 points 9 months ago

This would be the equivalent of the blade flying off the hilt of your sword and hitting someone off scene. Would that still be your fault?

[–] Khrux@ttrpg.network 1 points 9 months ago

If you follow every procedure you believe you're supposed to be as part of your job, doing something you've probably done before and is standard in your industry, but someone else has done something that they shouldn't have that made that action deadly, you literally have no accountability.

The armourer illegally left that gun loaded, nobody else is to blame. It's like arresting the waiter at a restaurant for serving food that was improperly missing a nut allergy when the chef made that mistake.

[–] Illuminostro@lemmy.world 4 points 9 months ago

Revenge for mocking The King in Orange, who reigns in Mara-Cosa.

[–] Delphia@lemmy.world 5 points 9 months ago (2 children)

The comment sections of anything to do with this are always a hilarious shitshow.

[–] Illuminostro@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago

Shitbirds gonna shitbird.

[–] Pepsi@kbin.social -2 points 9 months ago

full of keyboard warriors who have never stepped on a film set

[–] autotldr@lemmings.world 4 points 9 months ago

This is the best summary I could come up with:


During an October 2021 rehearsal on the set of Rust, a western drama, Baldwin was pointing a gun at cinematographer Halyna Hutchins when it went off, fatally striking her and wounding Joel Souza, the film’s director.

Last April, special prosecutors dismissed the involuntary manslaughter charge against Baldwin, saying the firearm might have been modified prior to the shooting and malfunctioned and that forensic analysis was warranted.

Baldwin and his co-producers are also facing civil lawsuits seeking financial compensation, including from members of the Rust crew, but judges have put those cases on hold while the criminal matter proceeds.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the weapons supervisor for Rust, was previously charged with involuntary manslaughter and evidence tampering and her trial is scheduled for February.

Prosecutors have alleged that she acted in a reckless manner when she handed the loaded gun to Baldwin on set and have accused her of failing to ensure that all the rounds in the firearm were dummies.

Gutierrez-Reed’s lawyers, who previously sought to have the involuntary manslaughter charges against her dismissed, accused prosecutors of mishandling the case and attempting a “character assassination” of their client.


The original article contains 632 words, the summary contains 186 words. Saved 71%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!

[–] yessikg@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 9 months ago

Maybe this will finally convince Hollywood to stop using real guns

[–] Illuminostro@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Donald Trump should be hanged for treason.