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Alec Baldwin shot and killed someone on set

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Gun "expert" tells a non expert the gun is cold/safe. IMO, It would absolutely matter to a jury.
The "expert" was not credentialed in anyway as an expert and it was day one on the job...or at least that's what we are boing told.

"Mr. Baldwin, why did you point the firearm, a real firearm mind you, at the victim?"

"Mr. Baldwin, why did you cock the hammer and pull the trigger while the firearm was pointed at a person, whom you'd just had a major argument with earlier that day during a dress rehearsal?"

"Mr. Baldwin, you were the producer in this movie and you had no firearms expert on set, why did you choose to use real firearms for a dress rehearsal?"

"Mr. Baldwin, why did you not check the chamber of the firearm when it was given to you?"

The questions ask themselves. IMO he is guilty of negligent homicide at minimum. I don't think he'll ever be charged, however.
 
Gun "expert" tells a non expert the gun is cold/safe. IMO, It would absolutely matter to a jury.

The Screen Actors Guild protocols for firearm handling do not release the actor from any responsibility. The protocols actually sound like they written by someone with a high level of understanding of gun safety.

It really sounds like the protocols were not followed and a mediocre lawyer/prosecutor should be able to stress that.
 
It really sounds like the protocols were not followed and a mediocre lawyer/prosecutor should be able to stress that.

David Halls (apparently) has a history of creating/allowing unsafe environments. Some actors are speaking out about his previous works.

In answer to the question about why the gun was pointed in the direction it was ...
I suspect he was pointing the gun at the camera and since she was a cinematographer, she was behind the camera. I know some people have tried to make it sound like he was acting flippantly, but I don't think that has to be the case here.
 
Lauren Southern had a decent video about the shooting.


I feel bad for all involved, even Baldwin, as much as I find him distasteful. There is a lot of blame going around now and some are pointing at the armorer. The fact remains Baldwin pointed the gun and fired it. Only he pulled the trigger. There are rules plainly laid out about what takes place during filming. The main one is do not point a firearm at anything you don't intend to shoot.

John Wayne shot thousands of people and no one died. There have been thousands of movies and shows made during the years from westerns to war movies and very few accidents have happened. Accidents have happened and people should've learned from them. One actor shot and killed himself by pointing the gun at his head and pulling the trigger thinking that a blank was safe.

One thing's for sure. This was a low budget movie that was plagued with problems including firearms mishaps. Apparently nobody paid attention to the signs of trouble that eventually led to the tragic death of an innocent person.
Great video. Pretty easy to look at too.
 
I have taken countless courses on gun handling to become a Range Safety Officer, for Concealed Carry licensing, for handgun proficiency, and so on. I remember four fundamentals rules which, as well as I can remember, were taught at these courses. Sometimes the order of rules one and two may have been swapped, and the same for the order of the third and fourth, but the four rules were always the same.
  • Treat every gun as if it were loaded until you check that it is not.
  • Do not point your gun at anything you do not want to kill.
  • Be sure of your target, what is behind it, and what is around it.
  • Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot.
With the recent Baldwin negligent discharge, where he clearly violated the first three rules listed above, I did a search for gun safety rules. I was surprised to see that the above four rules are not universal at all, even among the various NRA websites that came up.

Some include two or three of the rules I listed, but with different wording. Others add rules that makes sense, such as make sure the ammunition is correct for the gun, make sure the gun fits you properly, and others.

Still, I believe the four rules I listed make the most sense, are easier to explain to anyone learning, and are easier to remember.

What rules do you remember learning as fundamental gun safety rules?
Thanks!

Alex
Those are the ones that are engraved in my mind. The wording I'm familiar with for the second one above "Do not point the muzzle at anything you don't want to destroy".
 
Then what consideration should we make for him being told it was "cold"? Especially considering we both agree, responsibility is ultimately on the shooter.
None.

I also think we need to know exactly what procedure is proscribed in the union's manual.
It's boneheaded safety procedure to hand someone a gun with the action closed and for them to accept your statement about whether the gun is loaded. I've ALWAYS been taught to inspect the chamber first, then hand the gun with the action open to the other person. And, as the other person, as rude as it may be, I check the chamber.
 
David Halls (apparently) has a history of creating/allowing unsafe environments. Some actors are speaking out about his previous works.

In answer to the question about why the gun was pointed in the direction it was ...
I suspect he was pointing the gun at the camera and since she was a cinematographer, she was behind the camera. I know some people have tried to make it sound like he was acting flippantly, but I don't think that has to be the case here.
Right. We have to know more about what the scene was.
That said, I would imagine the safety rules would include setting up the scene so the gun would point at no one.
 
None.

I also think we need to know exactly what procedure is proscribed in the union's manual.
It's boneheaded safety procedure to hand someone a gun with the action closed and for them to accept your statement about whether the gun is loaded. I've ALWAYS been taught to inspect the chamber first, then hand the gun with the action open to the other person. And, as the other person, as rude as it may be, I check the chamber.


You're right, their union needs to evaluate their process, but no matter what their process is, I don't think it should have any legal weight in this situation.
 
And, as the other person, as rude as it may be, I check the chamber.

That's clearly ideal, but have you ever watched most people's behavior in a gun shop when the employee hands a potential customer a gun? The employee verifies it's clear but the potential customer rarely verifies. Also, there's usually a lack of muzzle awareness because it's "safe". It's why I dislike busy gun shops. People like to point it parallel to the gun counter while they admire it, it usually covers every other person standing at the counter.

I don't think our adherence to the 4 rules is universal in the industry. I don't like the norms of trap and skeet shooters, so I don't shoot that sport. Resting muzzles on toes, and a complete lack of muzzle awareness as long as the gun is broken open. I find it odd.
 
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