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New Mexico downgrades manslaughter charge against Alec Baldwin in ‘Rust’ shooting
LA Times ^ | Feb 20, 2023 | Meg James

Posted on 02/20/2023 12:39:07 PM PST by Leaning Right

New Mexico prosecutors have downgraded felony charges against Alec Baldwin and the armorer in the fatal “Rust” shooting, removing the threat that either could spend years in prison.

Baldwin and armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed were charged last month with two counts of involuntary manslaughter for the Oct. 21, 2021, death of “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the movie’s set south of Santa Fe.

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; US: New Mexico
KEYWORDS: baldwin; banglist
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To: woodbutcher1963

Actor’s Equity SAFETY TIPS FOR USE OF FIREARMS

Treat all guns as if they are loaded and deadly.

The property master or armorer should carefully train you in the safe use of any firearm you must handle.
Do not let others handle the gun for any reason.

Never point a firearm at anyone including yourself. Always cheat the shot by aiming to the right or left of the target character. If asked to point and shoot directly at a living target, consult with the property master or armorer for the prescribed safety procedures.

If you are the intended target of a gunshot, make sure that the person firing at you has followed all these safety procedures.

If you are required to wear exploding blood squibs, make sure there is a bulletproof vest or other solid protection between you and the blast packet.

Use protective shields for all off stage cast within close proximity to any shots fired.

Appropriate ear protection should be offered to the cast members and stage managers.

Check the firearm every time you take possession of it. Before each use, make sure the gun has been test-fired off stage and then ask to test fire it yourself. Watch the prop master check the cylinders and barrel to be sure no foreign object or dummy bullet has become lodged inside.


41 posted on 02/20/2023 2:02:00 PM PST by ansel12 (NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.)
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To: dfwgator

He is also one of those actors that is great as an old man actor.


42 posted on 02/20/2023 2:02:58 PM PST by ansel12 (NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.)
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To: ansel12

Yes. It was Stacy Keach I was thinking of. Thanks! That was driving me crazy.

I just looked it up. I got some of the story wrong. He was convicted of possessing cocaine, not marijuana. He was out on bail in the US, but voluntarily returned to the UK to serve his sentence (six months). I think I got it right now. But maybe not.


43 posted on 02/20/2023 2:04:15 PM PST by Leaning Right (The steal is real.)
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To: ansel12

But he’ll always be Sgt. Stedenko.


44 posted on 02/20/2023 2:04:18 PM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: ansel12

> Always cheat the shot by aiming to the right or left of the target character. <

Now, that’s interesting. And very sensible.


45 posted on 02/20/2023 2:07:10 PM PST by Leaning Right (The steal is real.)
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To: V_TWIN
..... she doesn’t stand a chance.

And she should not have a chance.

Gutierrez-Reed had exactly one job on that production, and she failed to do it. The Armorer is supposed to control all weapons on a set and maintain safe operation of them. There was no excuse for allowing live ammunition on the set at any time. That was the first link in a long chain of omissions that lead to a death.

Actors are assumed to be chimpanzees who cannot ever be trusted with live weapons. There is a body of industry-specific standard practices to solve this problem and they are effective. It is the job of the Armorer to enforce them. She did not. That was criminal negligence.

Baldwin is just an ordinary jackass of an actor who depends on others to keep him in a safe environment. He will skate on manslaughter charges because the DA screwed up the indictment.

46 posted on 02/20/2023 2:08:23 PM PST by flamberge (We don't get the government we vote for. We get the government we will tolerate.)
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To: dfwgator

I saw Cheech and Chong live when they use to do their comedy bit.


47 posted on 02/20/2023 2:09:53 PM PST by ansel12 (NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.)
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To: Leaning Right

Many actors came forward at the time explaining the details of how all this worked with protective shields and camera angles and such.

I’ve also read that Edward G. Robinson said they used real Tommy Guns and real bullets and they had to time the action of the actors so that one could fire and then duck behind the cover while the other fired.

Is it true? I don’t know.


48 posted on 02/20/2023 2:15:41 PM PST by ansel12 (NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.)
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To: Leaning Right

Who didn’t see this coming? The way this Atty.General slow walked every step of the case.


49 posted on 02/20/2023 2:28:19 PM PST by lee martell
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To: flamberge
Actors are assumed to be chimpanzees who cannot ever be trusted with live weapons. There is a body of industry-specific standard practices to solve this problem and they are effective.

Apparently not effective. The industry is guilty of allowing retarded actors handle actual firearms when there is no justification. Either switch out the gun or switch out the actor because together they are a danger. Let them use dummy guns, even the blue rubber ones. The editors can add any effects later with CGI. Needing to "get a better shot" doesn't justify allowing retardates to risk others' lives.

The irritainment industry has such a deadly tragedy about once a decade:

Jon-Erik Hexum accidentally shot himself in the head with a blank round after jokingly putting the gun to his head. (1980s)

Michael Massee killed Brandon Lee by firing a gun with a blank that had a live round stuck in the barrel from earlier. (1990s)

Rapper Keaway Lafonz Ivy was shot while filming a music video in Washington, D.C. with what was meant to be a prop gun. (2010s)

Alec Baldwin shot Halyna Hutchins. (2020s)

50 posted on 02/20/2023 2:33:46 PM PST by T.B. Yoits
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To: Leaning Right

New Mexico prosecutors, after receiving more than generous donations, have downgraded felony charges against Alec Baldwin and the armorer in the fatal “Rust” shooting, removing the threat that either could spend years in prison.


51 posted on 02/20/2023 2:39:36 PM PST by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now its your turn)
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To: Leaning Right

Robert Mitchum in 1949.


52 posted on 02/20/2023 2:44:12 PM PST by Cen-Tejas
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To: Leaning Right

Wrong move.

Both should face the possibility, especially the armorer, the person on set responsible for all weapons, the primary reason she’s there in the first place.


53 posted on 02/20/2023 2:49:29 PM PST by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: Vaduz

Baldwin knows. God knows.


54 posted on 02/20/2023 3:08:20 PM PST by Machavelli (True God)
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To: flamberge

He may well skate, but the crime being prosecuted is still involuntary manslaughter, which the state would have had to prove before the sentencing enhancement would even have been considered.

All that’s changed is that he’s looking at a max of 18 months rather than 5 years.

He’s basically admitted to the elements of involuntary manslaughter in his various interviews and public statements. His conduct was clearly reckless, and he removed his strongest defense when he admitted to George Stefanopolos that he knew it was a real gun, and knew exactly what safety rules he broke.


55 posted on 02/20/2023 3:10:29 PM PST by absalom01 (You should do your duty in all things. You cannot do more, and you should never wish to do less.)
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To: T.B. Yoits
Apparently not effective.

Every Western, War movie, and Action movie for the last 70 years has actors pointing weapons at other people and pretending to shoot them. It is what they are required to do.

That is easily 100,000 scenes with actors doing that. Four deaths in 70 years? That is nothing. More actors have died in helicopter accidents. The safety record for following the 79 rules of "Industry Safety Bulleting #1" is way better than the "4 Rules of Gun Safety" that you see posted at the local shooting range.

Rules only work when people follow them. Many activities in the film industry are inherently dangerous, and crews are very good about following safety rules.

Well, except for the people on the set of "Rust". The smarter ones bailed out the day before the incident. Good for them.

56 posted on 02/20/2023 3:15:49 PM PST by flamberge (We don't get the government we vote for. We get the government we will tolerate.)
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To: Leaning Right

Maybe I’m missing something here, but is he not still charged with murder? I don’t think there’s any dispute that he pulled the trigger which caused the gun to fire, which caused the bullet to hit and killed a person.


57 posted on 02/20/2023 3:28:09 PM PST by Reno89519 (DeSantis or Sanders, Anyone But Trump in 2024. Time for Trump to Stand Aside and Retire.)
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To: Reno89519

> Maybe I’m missing something here, but is he not still charged with murder? <

It’s my understanding that Baldwin is still being charged with involuntary manslaughter. What was dropped was the firearm enhancement to this manslaughter charge.

The firearm enhancement could have added five years to whatever sentence Baldwin received for manslaughter.


58 posted on 02/20/2023 3:42:51 PM PST by Leaning Right (The steal is real.)
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To: Leaning Right

C’mon people, just let the guy off with a warning and be done with it.


59 posted on 02/20/2023 4:01:27 PM PST by slouper (LWRC SPR 5.5 6)
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To: dfwgator

His role on ‘TITUS’ Was XLNT !
.
I can go on and On.
.
“Go Save your Brother!”
Ha!


60 posted on 02/20/2023 4:03:23 PM PST by Big Red Badger (The Truman Show)
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