EVERYTHING You Need to Know about the Alec Baldwin Trial | LAWYER EXPLAINS

[@LegalBytesMedia]

What do you think? Should Baldwin be held to the same standard as any person holding a firearm, or is this different because it happened while he was an actor on a movie set?

[@abby4027]

Yes!!!! There is no fantasy law protecting actors. Armorers are there, that doesn’t mean he isn’t responsible. TWO PEOPLE CAN BE RESPONSIBLE FOR A SINGLE INCIDENT.

[@shantoreywilkins651]

#yes 📽️🧞🧞😊

[@ilselombard1712]

As a lawyer from South Africa, I believe the standard should be that of a reasonable producer, who also needs to consider safety on a movie set in general, as opposed to an actor or any other person. A higher standard, therefore

[@khit007]

I think it's a completely different situation. Normal people don't have an expectation that the gun they're using is a prop.... It's like shooting someone with a nerf gun and they die.... manslaughter at best IMO. The only reason I'd say he's a little more responsible is that he's the producer.

[@mattgayda2840]

Hes been an extremely vocal "advocate" against guns for decades, he deserves prison!

[@ChristopherMichael180]

As much as I find him to be rude and arrogant, I hope he is ultimately judged on facts relevant to the law and not based on his unsavory personality.

[@HermitLady]

Just said the same thing. Agreed 🤟💞😎

[@Meat88]

I was unaware of his reputation before the armorer's trial. Based on what I saw during that trial, I think he's as culpable as she is. Halyna would still be alive if either of them hadn't be so negligent or reckless.

[@northstar92]

@@Meat88 if you believe Alec's story, it seems more like ignorance than negligence. he claims to have been following her instructions and then let go of the hammer

[@youarewrong57]

@@northstar92ignorance of the law is no excuse and he can’t even begin to claim ignorance. He’s so anti-gun and has handle a gun at least 21 different times

[@thesisypheanjournal1271]

He was treating that weapon as if it was a squirt gun. That’s every bit as irresponsible as driving drunk. The fact that the bastard is trying to weasel out of responsibility just makes him even more of a scumbag. He is dragging that woman’s poor family through this ordeal because he’s unwilling to accept responsibility for what he did.

[@jimivey6462]

What I love about your channel is your research and your clear, concise explanations. Nobody does it better than you. MSM does a terrible job with such stories.

[@SueB_3]

From watching clips on the set I see (waving guns around) makes me mad. As a seasoned actor I would think he would be more careful. I don’t feel I can make a full determination about this without seeing the trial. With that being said, this case is so sad. I find it interesting you brought up different types of “producers” and wonder what type he was…thanks for the great breakdown! 💙

[@Kmmlc]

He was a financial backer and the lead actor. There was another producer who was in charge of the hiring of the production company who hires the crew including Reed. David Hall was also hired by that producer. Both of them were involved in all three of the discharges on set including the one that killed Hutchins and injured Souza. Reed it was more that she didn't actually check the ammunition in the weapons or the boxes, just shaking the boxes. The first two incidents were why the crew walked out. We don't rightly know if Baldwin was made fully aware of why. Hall seemed to be doing shortcuts such as grabbing the gun and handing it to people without checking with Reed on if it was safe yet, and Reed was allowing this or leaving the weapons outside of her immediate control.

[@hez01]

Thank you for this! I feel like we've been waiting so long for his trial that I forget some of the finer details.

[@LegalBytesMedia]

You’re so welcome! It’s so easy to get fuzzy on some of these things when we shift our focus to different cases in between

[@antdah]

If you accept an _executive position_ to get _executive pay_ and _executive perks,_ you should then also expect to be held to _executive account_ and take some _executive responsibility._ 😅 (This should apply everywhere, not just in this case, nor just this industry.)

[@theodoremakoske9604]

In a firearms safety class rule number one is always treat the gun as if it is loaded

[@d_ward4871]

@@theodoremakoske9604 True. BUT, if you happen to be playing dress up at the time, that rule no longer applies. If you’re running around in a cute little cowboy costume playing make believe, you can’t really be held responsible for anything an adult would

[@jackkennedy7487]

@@d_ward4871costumes don’t magically turn real guns into toy ones

[@jaimeduncan6167]

Yes but it's a movie. The first rule of grenades is you don't trow them around, even more so if you remove the safety. Also, you don't press the nuclear button for fun. If he was a woman and the arms responsible a man there would be no charges pressed against the actress.

[@sutarikun]

Per the standards of New Mexico law, based on what we've heard, Baldwin was reckless. He had been trained to use guns as props for longer than I've been alive, he knew basic gun safety, and he chose to ignore it because "he's just an actor," and he went into PR mode the moment police arrived. He knows he did something wrong, he worked to cover it up, and he knows other people did wrong things as well, but he thinks he can get away with it by claiming ignorance. If Morrissey can get his police interviews in at the very least and if he takes the stand, I have no doubt he is sunk.

[@goosejail]

Hard agree with everything you said. In the Stephanopoulos interview, he basically blamed Halyna for her own death. I'm pretty sure the back and forth he describes in that interview between Halyna and himself didn't actually happen. At least, it didn't happen on that occasion. I believe it actually happened earlier & he's using that interaction to mitigate his culpability in the shooting because he knows he wasn't supposed to be pointing a gun at anyone. He was toying around with it while everyone was adjusting the camera angle and checking the lighting. 1)None of the witnesses testified to hearing that back and forth at Hannah's trial. 2)Alec, during his first police interview, said Halyna was turned to the side speaking to someone when the shooting occurred. So, how was she directing his hand when she's turned talking to someone else? 3) The scene they were about to film didn't match up with his description of events. What he's describing actually matches perfectly with the scene of him standing & drawing the gun from its holster, you know, the one that's all over KZbin! At Hannah's trial, all the witnesses testified that they were filming a quick 1 second insert scene of the gun being revealed in its holster. He was just meant to flash it, not pull it out, pull the hammer back or depress the trigger. That's not what they were about to film because, as you can see, they filmed that scene already. After that, as Ross Adiago testified, they were going to move everything to the back of the church & film from the opposite direction. He called it a turnaround. If you had to lie about something big, it makes sense to take something that actually happened, and just twist it a little. It makes the lie more believable, and the person has less tells because they're partially telling the truth.

[@mattgayda2840]

He knew better and being vocal against guns for decades so he deserves prison.

[@deborah3912]

agree

[@profd65]

Baldwin had every reason to believe he was handed a cold gun, and this includes actually being told that it was a cold gun. Should he have double-checked the gun? I would have, but I'm the extra-cautious type. What exactly do you hire and pay an armorer for if not to ensure that the prop guns aren't loaded with real bullets? This was a movie set, it wasn't a gun range, it wasn't a war zone, it wasn't a hunting trip, it wasn't your backyard.There shouldn't haven't been a real bullet anywhere on the set. Baldwin's only "crime" was that he assumed that the people around him were actually doing their jobs. It's ridiculous to say he was being "reckless" and criminal simply because he didn't double-check a gun that he was told wasn't loaded with live rounds on a set where live rounds are prohibited.

[@goosejail]

@profd65 He was aware there had been 2 negligent discharges on set. He was also aware that he wasn't following his own union set protocols for safe handling of firearms. Baldwin was aware enough that he had royally f-d up to lie about the circumstances surrounding the shooting in the church. They were setting up the camera & double checking the lighting . He was playing around with his gun and pointed it at two people, and pulled the trigger. He then had to nerve to go on TV and say Halyna Hutchins told him to point the gun at her. The director and the cameraman both disputed this at Hannah's trial by their testimony that they weren't about to film anything that called for him to point the gun and pull the trigger.

[@potatopirate5557]

Alyte just pulled a much more hilariously savage move than I expected with that _particular_ Hunt For Red October clip. It happened in October too. I never connected that before. As someone raised by a firearm safety instructor, I'm absolutely appalled by the choices on that set. I can't even watch a movie where an actor holds the weapon wrong or flags everyone without getting extremely uncomfortable. But I'm also a drama nerd and I can understand the issue of actors constantly pointing prop guns at each other and I struggled with which side I fell on as far as his culpability due to the influence of having handled so many prop guns for so long. However I would think that this would be an obvious danger on a film set and that it would be up to the individuals and also the studios to ensure that better precautions are taken and better education is received because there should be absolutely no scenario in which anyone ever feels comfortable with being handed a real gun and the person who handed it to them saying, "it's okay, just point this at somebody else and pull the trigger, nothing bad will happen, I promise". I could never relinquish my autonomy in a situation in which the outcome could be so dire for someone else. Someone just handed you a gun, you are pointing it at another human being, check it yourself first too.

[@whirledpeas5717]

I had to skip the part where AB blames Halyna.

[@dean.mcmxcvi]

Same and his narcissistic blame shifting language is just truly cringe and throw up inducing

[@goosejail]

@deannyc I think that's part of the reason he's had his lawyers fighting this trial so hard. He knows a bunch of the lies he told will be exposed. Even if he's not convicted, his reputation will be ruined (what's left of it anyway) nobody will want to work with him. He'll be a pariah.

[@bluebell1]

Anyone who handles a gun is responsible to check said gun regardless of whether they are an actor on a set.

[@FIRING_BLIND]

Iirc actors aren't allowed to check, because then the armorer has to take it and make sure they put it back together properly. BUT actors are still required to follow basic gun safety, like don't point it at anything you don't intend to shoot, keep your finger off the trigger unless you intend to shoot, etc. Those are the rules he broke. Not checking it was him actually following the rules

[@3450robert]

According to SAG-AFTRA, it is NOT the actor’s job to check firearms on film sets. It is the armorer’s job.

[@bluebell1]

@@3450robert that may be true but as I said anyone who handles a weapon should treat it as it is locked and loaded

[@Physics072]

@@FIRING_BLIND It was never checked in front of him and he was asked. Said "its not a roulette scene so im good with not checking"

[@sanmer85]

That clip of Baldwin's interview seemed like he was blaming the victim. You know, the only person who can't testify.

[@doom4067]

The hammer only falls if you're pulling the trigger. There is no reason for live ammunition to be on the same set as blank ammunition. The producer (Baldwin) should have never allowed it.

[@PaperSmiles]

Anyone handling firearms is responsible for that firearm, end of. You are in control of it, and need to be accountable for it.

[@Real-Name..Maqavoy]

Each state is different. So No.

[@casparcoaster1936]

That interview was enlightening. This summary really did clear up a lot of the details of this mess (for me), many thanks!!

[@23sunisking]

well presented

[@PhoebeMc]

I was just going to say that being a producer factor is what really screws him. I fully expect him to be found guilty! That several were playing on the set with firearms and live rounds at some point prior to the shooting. I may be wrong but I swear I read that somewhere. Hannah Gutierrez Reid we've seen posed in photographs with ammo belts and all that fun stuff and that certainly did not look good on her. Plus she had a fit after going to jail I guess about how this was going to mess with her promising career of running in beauty pageants and modeling. I guess maybe she should have thought of that?

[@matthewmarshall349]

Judge ruled that prosecution can't use arguments based on him being a producer.

[@davidbreen8169]

Honestly as an attorney and gun safety instructor, just having an armor does not negate one’s liability to be operate ANY firearm in a safe manner. Essentially, there is an inherent risk when using firearms on set. But again armor should check the weapon., Baldwin received the weapon where he should have checked and continued to check as needed and so on. I don’t believe Baldwin should be able to avail himself of liability since a general rule of thumb is to always check ANY weapon you receive despite what the previous person has said. Frankly, Badwin thinks that he should not be liable but again the standard and accepted practice is to always check any gun that you come into procession of. Just because you an actor on a set doesn’t mean crap when it comes to gun safety. As any firearm training or acceptable practice is to check the weapon you receive, period.

[@Real-Name..Maqavoy]

Yup agree but the Law makes it very muddy and not easy to instantly point the guilty card. A lot of ppl involved not just the actor.

[@AlexReasons]

From what I have read, actors are not allowed to check weapons, and a lot of them probably wouldn't even know how to, that's why you have the armourer.

[@Ray-a-Sun]

I think if someone hands you a gun, you become responsible. It was not a toy or a prop. it was a real gun. That’s the difference. The idea that real weapons are being used in today’s age shocks me. And that should not be allowed. Period.

[@PhoebeMc]

I would agree. I fully expect whoever takes a gun from the armor to check that gun thoroughly before taking charge and possession like anyone that would accept a gun from another person. I've read many counts where the person accepting the firearm immediately check the magazine as well as the cylinder and Barrel to make sure all are clear and I would think the first thing Baldwin would do would be to check and make sure the rounds are dummy & not live, especially considering if what I said earlier is true, they were horsing around with live rounds just prior.

[@nikok410]

I agree. Also, he has said that he has been around guns in his spare time too, although I don't know how much exactly. So actor or not, he probably knows or should know how to handle guns safely and that's what he should've done on the film set. Even if everybody else was all cavalier about gun safety, that doesn't give him a pass to do the same.

[@abby4027]

I agree! He wasn’t JUST an ACTOR. He was producer.

[@francescawilliams8177]

I agree , it’s the same way anyone’s safety is your responsibility when you are the one driving. It is your responsibility to make sure they are all wearing safety belts as well.

[@origamikiddo2625]

If following gun safety rules, there would not have been a firing and Helena's death. Anyone touching guns should be taught those rules (he has been taught and said he knew them) and made sure they follow those rules. My kid learned them, but it's up to me as the responsible person to be monitoring and if the rules aren't followed, remind or take away the weapon. Just teaching isn't enough if someone won't follow the rules. First, assume it is loaded. He did not. Check to see if it is loaded, if using to demonstrate then unload and show everyone it's unloaded. Only point at what you want to shoot (in this case, not a person). Be aware of your target and what is behind it (camera is target, probably don't want to shot that either, people behind it then say nope, we need to set it up another way). At least 3 rules broken. Oh, and keep finger off trigger until ready to shoot. Another rule. So much rests on Hannah, but what is the check for hiring an incompetent armorer who isn't following or enforcing the rules? Safety AD who should be aware of issues, and actors, stunt ppl, extras etc would be the last desperate line saying wait a minute, this isn't how it's been done at other places I've worked with weapons, I'm concerned and no one is listening. That's where I give Baldwin and Hall blame as the higher ups and Baldwin def had the experience. Hard to not see him throwing around his name, position, and power to move things along and rush ppl and be fine with lax standards as long as they weren't wasting money or time.

[@jimivey6462]

ANYONE holding a firearm should check it himself, no matter how many people have checked it before him. As current holder of the gun, he is ultimately responsible.

[@FIRING_BLIND]

No cuz then the armorer has to take it back to make sure he put it back together again properly. It'd mean they just go back and forth and the scene never gets shot. He broke OTHER gun safety rules like pointing it around at things and having his finger on the trigger when he didn't intend to shoot

[@youarewrong57]

@@FIRING_BLIND lmao just say you don’t know crap about dummy rounds. They have a hole in them. And it doesn’t matter if the armorer needed to do that or not because that’s the safe way to do things. Had that happened Helena would still be alive.

[@youarewrong57]

@@FIRING_BLINDredundancies exists to keep people safe

[@lisat.8138]

He did not check the gun. He pulled the trigger.

[@Meat88]

He also pointed it center-mass.

[@Physics072]

@@Meat88 He blamed the people for standing where he was aiming. Nice guy Alec.

[@fromtheflightdeck252]

@@lisat.8138 guilty as charged!

[@jeanettecoleman-mz7ie]

Because it was said to be cold gun,

[@jeanettecoleman-mz7ie]

​@@Physics072he was supposed to shoot where they were standing, aim towards the camera, so he did!

[@JustMe-px9qy]

Both Baldwin and Hannah are responsible for Helena’s death.

[@deborah3912]

don't forget Dave Hall

[@origamikiddo2625]

And David Hall. But he was smart and took an early plea deal

[@HermitLady]

It was a group effort.

[@JustMe-px9qy]

@@deborah3912 - Halls admitted guilt and took a plea. He’s possibly the smartest in the group.

[@deborah3912]

@@HermitLady I agree, Baldwin first, and Hannah and Hall. Baldwin because he was in charge of hiring an inexperienced 20 something to be armorer in order to save a buck.

[@flipnutdodad8841]

My questions 1. What are the protocols for actors? 2. Is there training required and documented? How did a live round get on set?

[@mistahsusan2650]

all movie productions have to obey local/state laws, any industry guidelines are just a way to instruct people without boring them with legal documents. the screen actors guild (SAG) guidelines are the same for everyone on set, not just the people in front of the cameras. on the set of rust there was one single inexperienced armorer, where other professional armorers had recommended three people. the armorer on the set of rust was required to train everyone who would be operating a firearm. baldwin did not attend all of the training, and the training that he did receive he was seen to be inattentive and bored. the live rounds were created on location by the armorer from brass casings meant for making inert dummy bullets, and blank bullets that had some powder inside but no projectile. the reason for the live rounds being on location in the first place was because other cast/crew members would go off-set and recreationally fire the firearms with the live ammunition.

[@Aussie875]

Thank you! I thoroughly enjoyed your clear and precise re-cap of all this. I will be joining you for the trial and yes l believe he is accountable.

[@laurenurban3942]

Whenever the gun was to be pointed at Alec… he checked it. That was the only time he checked was when the gun was pointed at him.

[@kathybenes3137]

😊I going to watch the court and listen to evidence 😊🎉

[@antongromek4180]

Why is there real ammo on a film set???

[@mistahsusan2650]

one inexperienced and overworked armorer, and a bunch of cast/crew that wanted to play with the guns off-set ... the armorer is doing jail time and will never work in the movie industry again.

[@saldee]

Yes. He's so arrogant. Send him to jail.

[@KarenPeck54]

Hall should have gotten 18 months, too.

[@origamikiddo2625]

Absolutely. I hate that they gave him such a low punishment and didn't drill him much in his testimony. Hoping he'll have to testify here and Baldwins lawyers will give him a hard time. I'm still unclear if they can call Hannah, or use her police interview videos. They'll probably throw most of the blame on her.

[@goosejail]

@@KarenPeck54 Agreed.

[@Hubert_old]

I love the people in here saying “he should of checked it regardless”. You know by manufacturer standards you're meant to walk around your car to for safety checks before driving or wearing safety gear at home while using tools. how many people dont do that? put yourself in his shoes. If you have been going to set for weeks/months using guns all day, being stopped mid scene and pulled this direction to look at this camera, being pulled this way because there is a set issue, putting the gun down, picking it up, maybe not using it/using it, not to mention they are in a desert with multiple water/lunch breaks and its hot as hell. Gun experts keep saying “you always check regardless” but when you’re hunting and shooting at the range, your gun isnt floating around set changing hands and your not required to also act and direct a full movie as well. You ever tried to drive while muiltple people are screaming at you. its impossible. I’m sure alot of people would get complacent in this situation and rely solely on just one person, the armorer, to make sure everything is ok.

[@tymesZ]

As a producer in the room when and where there was no armorer could be why they are going after Alec... so nothing to do with who had the gun... that might be enough -- that he had the gun is just icing.

[@foddersfollies7494]

The things about this case that infuriate me are many, but I will just hit the highest points. 1) There is no way in hell that firearm could fire by a simple release of the hammer unless it was broken. Test of the weapon later proved it was not broken. 2) The utter failures of all of the 4 primary rules to gun safety. 3) This is possibly my biggest frustration. There was no reason for this to have been a fatal negligent discharge. Ignoring all of the other issues. They could check the angles and make adjustments without needing to have anybody in the line of fire. They have remote monitors and tripods for a reason.

[@Real-Name..Maqavoy]

Yeah same. There's a lot of things about this case that I feel angry towards as well. 1st of does it suck that she died? Ofc. 2nd - If the same way that the firearms were treated (like this) you could place anyone behind that Gun - And point the guilty-Card. 3rd - There's a lot of *Red flags* about this - Case. And many people at fault (not just) the Actor. Despite that ppl want to - Burn him at the stake so to say.

[@deborah3912]

This is the biggest part of his life and what a performance he'll give, no doubt he'll take the stand as only a narcissist would, RIP Halyna. I heard someone say if Baldwin were doing a suicide scene he would have not pulled that trigger without checking it first.

[@dean.mcmxcvi]

I’m crying 😭😭😭😭😭 not the suicide scene 😭😭😭😭😭 so true tho

[@kstarlovesjaeliz]

Thank you for covering this & explaining in depth! We appreciate you! 🩷

[@inkfrogrfx]

Never accept a closed gun from someone else. Once you take possession, you're it. Guilty.

[@Real-Name..Maqavoy]

It gets muddy because of the Law unfortunately.

[@x3BobO]

So glad I’ve been following you all this time so that I was reminded of this trial! So interesting. I thought it was highly stupid for him to be prosecuted, let alone that movies use real guns, but now that you lay it out like this, I can see what’s going on!

[@zojairam]

Please do a video on the Karen Read motion to dismiss. I really want a get an update but no way I’m watching a video over an hour long. You always keep it short and simple 👌

[@ohtheir0ny831]

Great vid

[@geekynerddemon]

Personally I think both were at fault. Didn't some actors go on a radio or podcast and say that it's standard practice for the actor to also check the gun. If it's standard practice from a safety training they have or have had at some point shouldn't it also apply here?

[@L.K.Rydens]

I don't know about a podcast, but many were absolutely pissed about his excuses, saying that if you have guns on set it's common sense to check them. Even more than that, they were pissed that he pointed it at her. They said unless you are filming the particular scenes where you need to point it at the camera, you never point it at anyone. You know that it's bs when actors get so angry they purposefully breach the wall of silence in the industry.

[@geekynerddemon]

@@L.K.Rydens "You know that it's bs when actors get so angry they purposefully breach the wall of silence in the industry." This!! Thank you!

[@abby4027]

Yes, some actors boycotted the safety concerns. Thank you for being reasonable enough to see that BOTH of them can be responsible.

[@PippyPan]

I think he contributed greatly to the rushed and unsafe practices that allowed live ammo to be there at all, and he pulled the trigger. He should get 18 months as well.

[@rationalbushcraft]

I have very strong opinion on this. And to be clear I am not anti Baldwin or anti gun. There is no such thing as an accidental discharge with modern firearms. And this was a reproduction modern firearm. There are only negligent discharges. On most revolvers there is a bar that blocks the hammer from falling on the firing pin. The only thing that moves the bar out of the way is if the trigger is depressed. That way if you drop the gun the hammer can't strike the firing pin. The other thing in my opinion is anyone handling a firearm needs to have firearm training and follow the basic rules. I don't care who says it is safe. Even in a gun shop the sales guy checks it I check it too and even after two people have checked it I still don't point it in anyone's direction. Every 13 year old kid learns this in hunter safety. Baldwin will be happy I'm not on his jury because the evidence would have to be super compelling for me to budge on this. I'm nearly 70 and owned my first firearm when I was 13 and have never had a negligent discharge. I get that it will be argued that the industry standard is that the armor is responsible for the gun safety and if this really is the industry standard it needs to dramatically change. If you are handling the firearm you need to also be responsible for your actions with it. If I was the armor the firing pin would be removed for anything but necessary blank firing and no live ammo allowed on set.

[@ciararyan9370]

There should definitely be multiple checkpoints in a potentially dangerous situation. I don’t believe live rounds should have been allowed on the movie set at all.

[@maymemont]

As the juror said someone died!

[@estrellafarfalla1970]

I think he should be judged (justice has to be for everyone equally). He is not an inexperienced actor, he knows how to use a weapon. I don't think he wanted to kill her, but errors or bad practices exist and if all the necessary safety measures are not taken when handling a real weapon, it can have consequences like the one that unfortunately occurred with this case that ended with the loss of a human life. AB has a lot of experience from other films, and in a rehearsal I think it's not necessary to point a gun at a person and pull the trigger, especially if it was not necessary. He has to take responsibility for his actions, and the worst part was that he lied about pulling the trigger...

[@brycefugate4416]

He needs to held accountable for his actions just like anyone else would.

[@GenerationXChick]

Sounds like his producer role has been excluded from the scope of this trial.

[@bendoubleu7516]

Just finished the Karen read trial with you, was wondering if there would be another interesting case to follow, awesome

[@estrellafarfalla1970]

I think he has to be judged (justice has to be for everyone equally), but with some considerations. He is not an inexperienced actor, he knows how to use a weapon. I don't think he wanted to kill her, but errors or bad practices exist and if all the necessary safety measures are not taken when handling a real weapon, it can have consequences like the one that unfortunately occurred with this case that ended with the loss of a human life. AB has a lot of experience from other films, and in a rehearsal I think it's not necessary to point a gun at a person and pull the trigger, especially if it was not necessary. He has to take responsibility for his actions, and the worst part was that he lied about pulling the trigger...

[@d_ward4871]

Is there any other circumstance where you can accidentally shoot somebody and you’re not liable because you were told it was safe ? Serious question on genuinely curious

[@ericdoe2318]

Man I hope so!

[@SimplyManda]

For me there’s a major difference between following all the safety protocols and an accident happening and what AB was supposedly doing on set. We shall see.

[@deadman746]

What a difference a couple of days make! Dismissed with prejudice under _Brady._

[@archiecunningham3734]

I have a question was there any target practice or real bullet shooting during the entire time that the Rust film 🎥 was being made

[@MissteryDiva]

AD Dave Halls was fired from 2019 film Freedom Paths for accidental discharge ‼️I saw footage of Dave hiding bullets the day of Halayna's death‼️

[@larryhuffine2814]

Im so annoyed o keep missing these but I guess my settings had gotten changed by accident.. ugh luckily I fixed it I think.

[@MrJdcalmerin]

This aged like wine

[@pattthepriest]

As someone with years of firearms experience there are two very basic weapons safety lessons at play here. Always assume any weapon is loaded (with live rounds) and so treat it as such until you have ensured it isn't. Never point your weapon at anything you don't intend to shoot and kill These (and others) are Harped into anyone who does any kinds of weapons handling. Never assume someone else did their job. Check for yourself because people's lives could depend on it, just like it did in this case. Now we have to play pretend with movies and yes we have to do things to make things seem real and point weapons at people but the first rule covers the second. You don't point till you know it safe and never assume the other person did their job. They aren't the one holding or using the weapon that can take someone's life.

[@sm5574]

Another example of executive producer credit is Vince McMahon. When Dwayne Johnson's acting career was just starting out, most people only knew him by his wrestling name, The Rock. Movie producers wanted to use this name in the credits to entice audiences, but the name was owned by Vince McMahon. A deal was struck to give McMahon EP credit in exchange for crediting Dwayne Johnson as The Rock.

[@phantomsplit3491]

I come at this from a perspective of common OSHA workplace accidents. Say Person A needs to go into a machine to do some maintenance, they ask Person B to go lock out the equipment. Person B reports they have done so, when in fact they did not. Person C then turns on the machine, and does not violate any startup procedures in doing so. Person A is as a result injured or killed. Does the person who turned on the machine get in trouble (Baldwin)? Or does the person who lied about locking out the machine get in trouble (Armorer)? Or both? To me it should just be the armorer. Obviously turning on the machine is different from allegedly pulling the trigger of a firearm which is pointed at another person. But this is also Hollywood, so pulling a trigger on a firearm which is directed at another person is not something uncommon. In fact it is so common that somebody is hired to make sure it is safe to pull the trigger, by either disabling the weapon or using blanks. Unless credible witnesses testify under oath that the actor is also responsible for checking firearms on set, I could not convict. And for that to be true, prosecution will need to show it is standard practice for actors to be trained on how to identify the properties of live weapons/ammo. I do think Baldwin and production are more on the hook for civil liability for hiring this armorer, lax safety practices overall, etc.

[@abby4027]

As you said, it’s a different situation. 😀 going back and checking entire process of a machine isn’t same as taking 2 seconds to check the fire arm. Also, in your scenario., Person A doesn’t sound like he’s wearing multiple hats. It’s a horizontal process vs a vertical process. This movie has a chain of command (vertical process). Apples and oranges IMO

[@azp2]

@@phantomsplit3491 You put into words what I think, too. Thank you for having the writing skills to make a good point.

[@b05296]

The difference is: person C is aware that someone is working in the vicinity of the machine. Not checking while possessing that knowledge is negligence.

[@doom4067]

The first time of gun safety is that you didn't point out at anything that you didn't intend to destroy. In the acting business the rule is that you don't point it directly at anyone, even when using blanks. The script did not include any instructions to point the gun at someone off camera and pull the trigger.

[@phantomsplit3491]

Again, if credible witnesses come in and say under oath that actors are expected to also verify that guns are not live, and that the actors are trained in how to identify live rounds from dummy rounds, then cool. But are you all telling me that every time an actor is handed a revolver, they are expected to pull out all 6 rounds and shake them to check if they are duds? And that they are trained and qualified to make this determination? I have a tough time believing it. The armorer whose job that actually was already "did" it. Or at least they were supposed to. That is what they are there for. And to the person saying you don't point a gun at something you don't intend to destroy, perhaps we are forgetting who it was who directed Baldwin to point the gun where he did? It was Hutchins. She was lining up the film-shot, and she directed Baldwin on where to point the gun. I don't work in the film industry, and I have a feeling most if not all commenting here do not either. But it seems an unrealistic expectation for Hollywood to never point a firearm with blanks at anyone, and comments saying this should never happen do not understand the process of accepting risk but mitigating it. Hollywood feels we viewers want movies that feel real, and real firearms are perceived as increasing that effect. However live firearms present a risk. Mitigate the risk by not bringing live rounds on set, and hiring somebody to ensure firearms are safe to use. That person failed miserably. Somebody was supposed to double check the armorer's work. That person admitted they also failed and took a criminal plea agreement. Baldwin's only criminal liability in my eyes will be if he had any role in the hiring of the armorer, lax safety culture on set, or not firing the armorer or overhauling the props department after reported multiple live fire accidents near the set of Rust.

[@francescawilliams8177]

If this is a personality contest and trial the way Karen’s was due to her demeanour I don’t think he will win. That being said , his statements after the accident were insensitive and he should have kept quiet. And if the laws in New Mexico are the same way you are responsible for whoever is in your car if you are the one driving he got the gun, he should have checked it.

[@pierre-luchoude8456]

I do have a question. Is it movie practice to have live ammunition for movie? I kind of fail to understand why it would be necessary to even purchase live round. For that reason, I do think it is a little odd and I do think that if no live round was suppose to even be purchase, then it would make sense to assume that it is not loaded.

[@mistahsusan2650]

almost certainly not. the screen actors guild (SAG) guidelines were raised after the death of brandon lee on the set of the crow. in the case of BL it was a squib from a blank that dislodged a barrel obstruction that then hit BL, who died of his injuries.

[@origamikiddo2625]

Thanks for the recap. I'm fairly ambivalent about this case. If there is responsibility for the actors (and I think there should be, same gun safety training you would go through before handling and firing a gun, not a bad thing to have many ppl checking, just as we hear Jensen Ackles does in his police interview). But I think ultimate responsibility rests on armorer, and we saw in her trial lack of safety everywhere from young kid, who wasn't trained, being handed a long gun to stunt/actors sweeping ppl with the barrel. Hannah should have been on top of that. So then where does the responsibility lie for such an inexperienced (or just not doing their job) armorer being hired? Since it's safety and ppl's life, there needs to be other checks against a person not doing their job right or even lying in their experience to get that job (not saying Hannah did). So I put that responsibility on David Hall as safety person. If there aren't rules or standards that are followed in the industry that such things can be overlooked because time and money and rush rush, then weapons and bullets on set should not be. I give Baldwin a lot more shade since he HAS worked with other guns other armorers, other sets with weapons, so he knows how it should be. But it seems he didn't care cuz time and money, rush rush. So I put that responsibility there. I understand that's always the push against armorers, stunt people, horse wranglers, pyrotechnics, I'm sure all the safety ppl are always seen as the wet blankets holding things up and taking time and double checking. But there should be more responsibility the production will face if they are pushing that environment too. I'm interested to see his defense lawyers, how they are and what they argue, and how the object with Morrissey and see if she is different with them vs Bowles. I'm also hoping Jensen will testify. Other than that, I'll probably stick with your and Peter's recaps, you do such an excellent job and always give interesting and new information to think about and look at other cases with. Thanks for you and your editors' hard work!!

[@RichardSmith-b7j]

How about looking into the directors next project. A documentary was planned.

[@WDFJR16345]

The opening statement “the revolver released a live round” is an interesting way of framing it and not accurate. “Releasing” could mean it fell out of the loading gate. Perhaps stating the obvious would have been better, “the revolvers firing mechanism was activated causing a live cartridge to fire and the projectile striking/killing…”

[@clt8200]

This is SO cut and dry. Both Hannah and Alec are responsible and guilty. In their own ways. This is firearm handling, not rocket science. Do it right or don't do it at all. They could have used a fake prop.

[@dislexyc]

Watching this while drunk at 5:44 AM Could be doing worse things, I suppose

[@fr57ujf]

What actor exemption are you talking about? He failed to conduct a proper safety check when taking the gun from the armorer, pointed the gun at a person, and pulled the trigger (which he lied about). As a lawyer, I don't know why you're even raising this as a question.

[@ccserfas4629]

Show the movie!

[@torymann248]

It is a small amount of time agreed

[@terecanalizopsicoanalisis2273]

Is there a way to notice if the gun has real bullets? How?

[@vovasyhin7219]

4:21 That smile looks so forced its hillarious.

[@sonny1597]

The whole thing comes down to one thing .. where did the live round come from? How was Baldwin suppose to know a live round from a dummy round .. they look the same .. was he supposed to unload it and shake each round? When he cocked the gun the live round came into battery .. how did it get there?

[@carolynsears1710]

Why only 18 months? That’s not a sentence for taking someone else’s life!

[@iamchannelll]

i would agree . murderers usually get life without parole

[@deadman746]

What a difference a couple of days make! Dismissed with prejudice under _Brady

[@nicholashaines8481]

I don't see what public good is achieved by imposing a criminal sentence on Alec Baldwin. I imagine that the prosecution's argument would be that this case doesn't involve run-of-the-mill carelessness - it involves an extreme recklessness that demands a criminal sentence in order to send a powerful message to people involved in film productions that they need to be very careful when handling firearms on set. It would be a deterrence argument - we need to impose a criminal sentence in order to deter people from being reckless in their handling of firearms on film sets. But it looks like the deterrence has already been achieved because it is such a profoundly tragic event. Alec Baldwin's life has already been devastated by this event (and rightly so) - it's not as though he is downplaying the significance of the event and enjoying himself. I think that the appropriate response to this case is a regulatory response that drastically improves the safety of film sets, not to impose a criminal sentence on Alec Baldwin.

[@azp2]

This is different in my opinion. He was an actor at that moment. It was the job of the armorer to ensure firearms were prepped for a movie scene.

[@LegalBytesMedia]

You definitely won't be alone with that viewpoint!

[@mattd4204]

He wasn’t just an actor in this film though. He was a producer meaning he is also responsible for basically the whole management of this project. Grievances were brought to his attention multiple times and gun safety was flagged as a concern throughout filming. Yet he did nothing with any of this information which in my opinion does make him somewhat accountable.

[@abby4027]

No!!! He wasn’t just an actor. He was a producer.

[@jerubaal101]

If he was told to point the gun at his own head and pull the trigger, do you think he would have checked?

[@abby4027]

@@jerubaal101 THIS!

[@christophercripps7639]

Balwin better hope the jury doesn't have many ex-USMC persons on it. Items that SHOULD IMO be a factor: 1) Did Balwin know that the prop wasn't just a "prop" but a FIREARM capable of disharging live ammunition; 2) Knowing that this was a real firearm would a reasonable person exercise additionable precautions? There are plastic replica firearm-props often used for training; these are often brightly colored &/or have bright orange plugs in the muzzle. 3) Was Balwin particularly reckless in deciding to use a real firearm when not necessary? Why was it necessay to have dummy rounds? A reasonable person might decide to exercise additional care if they see something looking like ammunition in the chambers?

[@LisaPeterson227]

Prop just means the gun belongs to the studio.

[@josephweaver7140]

In my opinion. He was holding the gun. He is therefore MORE responsible for the safe handling of that firearm than anyone else. Regardless of whether or not those rounds were live, ANYONE handling a firearm should treat that weapon as if it were loaded & capable of killing someone. To just "let go" of the hammer, instead of slowly resting that hammer back in it's fully uncocked position, shows an immense lack of due care while handling a gun. That's how I see it.

[@MountainPrincess207]

👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@miserychannel69]

His prison time will be spent in a country club. 18 months MAX is a gift. He should have plead guilty, instead of wasting the courts time and the taxpayers money. HE is GUILTY of what they charged him with.

[@LSChestersMom]

I have an MFA in acting for film, theatre and am also a producer- have worked professionally for over 20 years. Even in a community theatre production of a play you have a process to handle weapons - loaded or unloaded- and as an actor you are the "last check" no matter what crew you have. Once in the unions- even more protocols that the actor is a part of. I am very sad they will not admit into evidence that he is also a producer because the set and production as a whole were very poorly run and many left it because of this. He is responsible. Period. And he should be tried like any other person would be- his fame is not a reason to not be tried for this. He has also been known to be a jerk and egotistical and that may have bearing on if he did the safety training which it was said he did not participate in.

[@lexybaginsky]

This will be so interesting! And I think he should be held criminal liable especially because he said publicly he knows how to handle a gun on set. In my opinion, he absolutely is responsible, just as the armorer is. If you use weapons in your movie you HAVE TO be especially careful so nobody dies. And if you are not and somebody dies you have to be made an example of so it won't happen ever again!!

[@mattwells5022]

I don't think he should go to jail for an accident he should pay her family compensation.

[@benjaminjane93]

Baldwin is not responsible in his capacity as an actor because on set everyone has a set task they are meant to perform. Not all sets are equal but most of the time the actor is not supposed to triple check the armorers job. You put your trust in that everyone else on set is as committed to doing their job as you. If it was any other actor that wasn't the producer. I still think the producer would be ultimately responsible after the armorer. Say if this accident happened to "The Bad Guy" of the film, then Baldwin would still be responsible in his capacity as the producer because his job is ensuring a safe work environment for the cast and crew.

[@Wyomingchief]

No matter how you feel about this persian, you can't ignore the facts in the case. He was the producer in charge, it was his responsibility for what was going on on check, and the fact that he outright lie to the investigators, instead of Manning up and admitting yes I accidentally pulled the trigger. Tells me that there might be a little more to this story and he's a little more guilty than we all probably think

[@lauriemyers3]

If you are going to handle a firearm (or anything resembling one, i.e., a prop), then you need firearm safety training AND be taught the correct/safe way to check that firearm yourself. I sure as hell would want to see for myself that a firearm I was using in a scene was cold.

[@Rob-sk1im]

My question is, why aren't the other co-producers charged? Hiring an inexperienced armorer and failing to run a safe set should fall on their shoulders too. I remember George Clooney saying that anytime he held a gun on set he always checked the chamber and or cylinder to verify the gun was cold. I wonder how many actors do this or just trust that the gun is as it should be when handed to them.

[@cg00000]

Never heard of him.

[@Mirage5892]

To make it about something other than firearms, when I was in middle school and high school, I took indoor rock climbing. And in it they stress how each member of each team is responsible for both themselves and looking out for safety mistakes of their peers. Safety is always a personal responsibility and a team effort. You can't count on your peers or yourself always being correct or devoid of flaws and need to be involved and proactive in safety. Do I think it was an accident? Certainly. But if he was more proactive in the team effort of firearm safety, or just following the tenants, there would have been a dramatically lower chance of a tragedy occurring. So I hold the opinion he was woefully negligent. (Edit: removed extra 'both')

[@kateL991]

this girl is the example of what has been happening to our society when we let ourselves become baseless, not taking anything seriously everything turns into a joke and this is the result this is a big very miserable mess that ended in death.

[@nmjerry]

Producers are actually ultimately responsible.

[@kimbye1]

Shocking how binary the juror's understandig of the case is.

[@ciararyan9370]

I have to wonder if Alec was pushing production too hard, and if that contributed to the set being less safe overall.

[@vilijar9065]

I think that his role as an actor is moot here, because actors are expected to act, so they are kinda "subservient" positions in the grand scheme. However, he is a producer and I think that's the relevant part regardless of his "activity" as a producer because a producer is expected to, well, produce, manage the set, movie, etc, and the motives why he's a producer are not the issue. I can compare it to to people who foolishly agree to help others get mortgages and sign the documents as a party: it doesn't matter what they decided together ("I'll totally pay the mortgage myself, just that stupid bank doesn't want to give it to me, plz help me"), if there's no payments, the bank goes for both because that's what on the papers. So in this case, he's a producer, he's at least partly responsible for the movie, so he's at least partly responsible. How much is another question.

[@BalmoralTransportation]

For as long as I can remember. EVERYONE NEAR A WEAPON IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SAFETY! Especially the person holding the weapon. Its drilled in our minds that you never aim at anyone or anything that you don't mean to kill or destroy. Finger OFF the trigger till you actually mean to fire the weapon. I get the sense that there was a very casual approach on set for these safety rules. Everyone in that room including the victims could have stopped baldwin and told him to stop being lax with the rules. The production was apparently so low budget that the armorer job was part time? Being that she was also responsible overall for props as well. There IS NO PART TIME RANGE MASTER OR ARMORER WHERE FIRE ARMS ARE CONCERNED. They went cheap and paid a horrible price for it.

[@ZPDSurvival]

Any Gun if you touch it should be checked for safety. There should not have been any rounds of any sort in that weapon for this scenario. Big Lack of Education on Firearms Safety. If you don't know anything about guns. Leave it be and contact someone who does like a Police Officer.

[@spencerbookman2523]

Every gun is loaded. Even if the armorer had previously removed all the ammunition from the pistol, the gun would still be loaded. This is the first rule of gun handling. Anyone who spends any time around guns should know this, and all other gun handling rules are predicated on it. If the armorer has to do time, Alec Baldwin, with his experience and the responsibility of actually pointing and firing the gun in rather flagrant violation of this basic rule, should also do time.

[@Ruggliff]

Guns don't release bullets. Baldwin pointed the gun at a person and pulled the trigger.

[@xTheRedShirtX]

I don't see him getting jail time.

[@Toast-by5wu]

Guilty

[@M.Cunningham]

Yes there has to be a trial for Alec Baldwin. The armourer has been tried and convicted but Baldwin has to be held accountable for holding and firing the gun with a live round leading to a tragic death. Let a jury decide.