You are illustration my point actually. The Prosecutor can say that we believe that proving negligence of Mr. Baldwin beyond a reasonable doubt has practical difficulties, given the involvement of multiple agencies that contributed to the harm. Whether to prosecute is up to their discretion - in a 71% Biden district.
While someone could make a believable (probably winnable) case for blaming Baldwin and holding him accountable, someone could also make a pretty good case for excusing him. I couldn't, I don't. It is going to come down to the proclivities of the prosecutor. Given as you say the political leanings in the area, we can make a pretty good guess as to how this is going to shake out. Now, if I drive down there and shoot someone negligently...I'm not a lefty. I'd never leave NM again.
I’m sorry folks, but I really don’t see politics in this.
Baldwin was never going to face manslaughter or murder charges for this, even in the reddest of red states, he was not likely to face those level of charges.
He’s handed a prop gun, told its safe, and pulled the trigger practicing a scene at the direction of his boss...
Should have have checked it? Sure, but turning that into a manslaughter charge or murder charge is an almost impossible sell.
A series, a long series of mistakes happened well along the road to this.
Think of it this way, your mechanic says he fixed your brakes, you drive your care, the mechanic didn’t fix the brakes properly, you drive down the road, try to break and your car doesn’t stop... you hit and kill someone.... Are you at fault because you didn’t verify the mechanics work before you drove the car?
Civilly, yes Baldwin will face culpability for not checking the gun, if the victims family sues.... almost assuredly, but that’s a fully different standard than criminal culpability.
I don’t see anyone getting a conviction on manslaughter or other lesser murder charges over him failing to check the gun... I just don’t see any DA charging anyone even in the reddest of red districts with murder or manslaughter charges for something like this.
Possibly some lesser charges might go, but the big ones, just don’t see any DA in any district going for it given the circumstances here.
If someone is going to face those sorts of charges, it would be someone else up the chain of custody of the firearm.. the person who’s primary job it is to make sure the gun was safe, clearly didn’t check it and told everyone it was indeed safe.
There is no denying that is their responsibility, and them failing to do so was negligent and lead to the woman’s death.
There may be some other charges they could probably hit Baldwin with, misdemeanor type stuff if they really wanted to charge him with something... but the big ones, murder or manslaughter... no, not given the situation as reported.